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Caste   as   an  educational  iDro"blem. 


By 

/i^a^LO/m   l/trn^XA^^t^  ^oocuCu^ 

Van  • '  y  ri  Ir   R  n  j  n  y  awTL  '^  Q  g  ■>  t  / 

A.B.  (University  of  California)  1921 


TH:-il3IS 
Lb.iitted  in  partial  satisfaction  of  th-^*  requirements  for  the  de/2;ree  of 

MAST"^R  OF  ARTS 

Education 

in  the 
GRADUATTi)  DIVISION 
of  the 
UNIVERSITY  OF  GALIEORIIIA 
May,  1922 


G(bj3 

iDuc.  utpri 


'I  DEFT. 


CASTl  A3  A5  -BDUCATIOHAL  PH0B3*BM* 

Contente  ' 

1%     Introduction. 

/A  — 36 

/     2.   India  ana  the  Indians.  ' 

^  ry n/ 

3.  The  theories  of  the  older  Caetti  Systems.  ^/  ^^ 

4.  Color  as  the  basis  of  Caste.  ^7'^7^ 

5.  The  Economio  Theory.  70  — ^^ 

6.  Psyohologioal  Foundation  of  the  Caste  System.  S3  —  7**^ 

7.  Educational  System  ol^  the  Poor  Ashrfimas.  fi?3^l^S 

8.  Hinduism  and  the  Caete  System.  /Sj^^*^/ 

9.  Malt  ipli  oat  ion  of  Castes  and  its  Reeultk;.  /Si^l^S 

10.  Educational  Suggestions.  /^f^fif 
11*  Bibliography.  1— X 


€38QSd 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2008  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/casteaseducationOOgogarich 


BIBLIOGRAPHY* 


Author 


Book 


1.  Dr.  ^Vestermark 

£»  Dr.  S*  C.  Bose 

3.  S.   Krislina   Swaml  Alyar 

4.  Arrows  Smith 
6«  B*   B.  Havell 

6*  Prof.  Kaxrauller 

7.  Dr.   Shrldhar  t.    Ketk%r 

9.  Shastrl  R.  Shama 

10.  Mrs.  Sinolair  Stevenson 
XI.  D.  Anderson 

12.  J.  B.  Pratt 

13.  Sir  Monier  Williams 


History  of  Marriage. 

Hindus  UB  They  are, 
Thaoker  Spink,  Cal- 
outta(ie82) 

Ancient  India, 
London(1911) 

Translation  of  the 
Rigyeda,  Boston(1886) 

History  of  Aryan  Rule 

in  India,  F.  A.  Stokes^Co., 

Kew  york(1918) 

History  of  Ancient  Sans- 
krit Literature, (1859) 

History  of  Oaste, 

Taylor  &  Carpenter. (1909) 

Hindaism,  Taylor  &  Car- 
penter, (1909) 

Evolution  of  Caste, 
S.  P.  C.  K.  Press, 
Madras,  (1916) 

Rites  of  the  Twice  Born, 
Oxford,  (1920) 

Peooles  of  India,  Cam- 
bridge University  Press, 
(1913) 

India  and  its  Faiths, 
pages  183-136 

India  and  the  Indians, 
Trubner  &  Co., {1687) 
Chaps  2,4.8,10,11 


Author ( c  out  inued ) 


14,  Saraswatl  Ram«^ai 


16  • 


16*  Hamaj^ana 
17*  Maliabiiarata 

18 «  Chandogya  Upanishada 

19 •  Bruiidarannyak  Upanishada 

SO.  Mitra 

81.  Mana 


22.  J.  V.  Breltiweiser 


BookCoontinaed) 


High  Caste  Hindu  V«omen. 
Philadelphia, Pa., (1887) 

List  of  instunoee  of  change 
in  gooial  Rank,  Journal  of 
Royal  Asiatic  iiooiety. 
Page  868,  (1901) 

Translation  by  H.O.Putt 


Vols  1,3,8. 

Translation  by  Max  Muller. 


Hinduism. 

laws  of  Manu( original  & 
translation) 

Vocational  Polymorphism, 
Educational  foundations, 
(Jan.  1921)  ' 


IBTROiiUCTIOU 


"8inc6  verbal  science  hvis  no  finaj  end, 
oince  life  is  short,  und  obstacles  impend. 
Let  centriil  facts  be  picked  and  firmly  fixed. 
As  swans  extract  the  milk  with  v.ater  mixed." 

(Translation  from  iianekrit) 


Under  various  titles  the  subject  of  caste 
has  been  discussed  in  many  a  book,  essay,  article  and 
newspaper  column.  Much  has  been  li^ritten  giving  the 
reader  one  idea  or  another  re^.irdlng  the  castes  that 
were  established  ynd  sustained  by  the  Indo-Arynn 
people.  Eoat  of  the  information  re^i^rdin^  this  soci  1 
Drg-::?.nization  program  of  the  Indo-Aryans,  tn^t  is  m'^de 
available  to  Ihe  public,  v.hether  in  India  or  outside, 
thr  :■_}-■  vrj  tin«.£-:  lu:  t^poeches,  is  almost  invri'ibly 
bapfid  on  zx   biased  vie^^polnt,  i?nd  is, therefore,  so 
fomtuiatsd  ;-.s:  to  supi^ort  some  narro)?r,  sui'jective  pur- 
pose.  The  attempt  is  rarely  ever  mide  to  present  a 
scholarly,  unprejudiced  analysis  ^nd  exposition  of  the 
caste  system,  Vvhich  in  one  form  or  -inother,  has  al- 
ways been  -v^  basic  feature  of  all  humm  institutions. 
After  all  the  various  shortcominsS  that  one  can  easily 
find  in  the  history  of  the  human  ruce,  history  iau;.>t 
still  be  the  source  of  experiences  upon  which  v.e  c»n 
build  for  the  future. 


THe   inveetifeutionb   into  tno   f  iiares   of  tne 
old    InEtltutionB  tiave  a  certain  valno.     Ih«y  present 
8  eeriee   of  w  rnlngs     nA   Injanoti  onts*      Tiieee  are 
neoesBtiry  In  tJie   infancy  of  a  civilization  when  the 
governsnent   or  the   et'ite  h^e  to  r^iiee   *'Bevare"   el^jne 
everyehere   in  order  to  drive  ^^ood  conduct  home  to  the 
people  ?.t  l^ir^e   by  isay  of  rer^riiiinds     nd  paniehnents. 
Bat  tod^iy,it   Is  claimed  that  the  the   tt^te   of  civili- 
sation   Ir  v.nlch  7.e    ire  living,   does  not   believe   In 
any  auca  "iJewnre" .signs  n-ve  ^radaaily  been  doing 

aitay  \^ltn  negations.     Today,  w^e  endorse   ro&itive  measures 
in  the  edoc^itlon    of  the    rnblic  ,    instead   of  pro- 

hibitive  onee  th?  t  hnve  en  r  cterised  the  p^st*     In 
fact  we  believe  In  ma'^rln^'   the  peonle  *'Avare'*   of  their 
rltchts  and  responsibilities  through  uelf  re^alizatlon 
and  understand ine,,   r-ther  than  holding  before   tneu;  tne 
"^ware"   signs  th  it   inspire  f e  r    -nd   its  oonsenaenoes 
in  the  form  of  eliVisn  reactions. 

It   is  well   to  kno^   the   c:^rtent   of  a   thln^   ind 
< 

then  speak  uboat   it.     Vision   is  required   to  oriticit>e 
or  commend   »inything,   s   id   the  Greek  pnilosopiier. 
This  method  h^iB  not  bee  folloi^ed    in  the  study  of  the 
problem  of  the  c  -tste  system,     tiaperf  lei  ^1  examintitlons 
by  v,ay  of  noting  the   existing  state   of  the  caste 


system  or  drawing  parallels  between  the  social  organi- 
sations of  the   Greeks  and  Eomsns,  iiave  often  been 
made.   Indians  iiHve  a  vast  literature  in  tJie  Sanskrit 
language.   Some  of  It  dates  back  to  1500  B«  C«   There 
is  much  in  that  anoient  literature  that  commands  respect 
and  admiration  even  to  this  day.  This  llter-^ture  wis 
produced,  socie  of  it  to  propose  plane  for  social  or- 
ganization, and  some  to  justify,  preach  and  establish 
those  plans.   A  careful  study  of  such  a  literature  will 
reveal  the  content  of  the  caate  system  and  furnish 
internal  evidence  and  explanations.   This  will  be 
speaking  through  the  words  of  the  people  who  were  respon- 
sible for  establishing;  such  ^^  social  org-mizatlDn  and 
not  merely  expressing  our  present  day  ideas  in  terms 
of  the  institutions  of  our  time* 
Boropean  Attitude. 

The  Hindu  caste  system  Is  a  great  mystery 
and  is  a  hard  problem  for  a  foreigner  to  understand 
even  if  he  reads  volumes  uoon  volumes  on  the  subject, 
living  in  India  for  a  lon^  time,  he  finds  it  difficult 
to  understand  what  caste  is.   He  thinks  the  Hindus 
are  a  very  strange  peocle  and  oossessed  of  some  very 
peculiar  conjjtitation  of  mind  which  no  foreigner  can 
pretend  to  understand.   Some  cleverly  presumptuous  men 
think  that  the  unscrupulous  priesthood  h  =ve  led  their 


countrymen  into  this  snare  of  folly  to  maintain  their  own 
8upremaoy» 

Whatever  be  the  case  the  caste  system  is 
always  regarded  as  an  interesting  institution.   It  is 
natural  that  no  other  feeling  than  that  of  amusement 
should  occur  to  the  English  mind!  English  writers  and 
speakers  can  afford  to  laugh  at  the  defects  and  contradic- 
tions of  such  an  anti^aated  and  aomplicated  institution. 
The  greater  the  foll^  in  the  institutions  of  the  strangers, 
the  greater  is  the  enjoyment  felt.  Many  an  Englishman 
has  composed  a  nice  little  tuble  talk  with  Caste  as 
his  tonic.   The  American  missionary  finds  the  subject 
very  useful  to  stimulate  the  charitable  emotions  of 
his  countrymen,  ^nd  tnut:  inducer  them  to  subscribe 
money  to  save  the  souls  of  two  hundred  millions  of 
peoole  from  heathenism.  His  method  of  saving  souls 
is  in  keeping  i^ith  the  tl  es.  He  buys  converts  to 
Christianity.   It  might  ^ell  be  called  a  commercial 
religion  or  a  religious  commercialism. 

Other  Western  writers  who  discuss  the  caste 
system,  do  not  necessarily  do  so  to  bring  the  folly 
to  the  '  ttentlon  fo  their  countrymen  for  the  j urpose 
of  ridicule.   There  jre  among  these  foreigners,  some 
who  look  on  this  question  with  philosophic  Interest, 
but  it  is  very  little  different  from  the  interest 


7 


felt  by  an  anatomist  when  he  dleeects  an  or^-nism. 

Moreover,  these  European  scholarB  Vvho  study 
this  ouestion  concentrate  their  attention  on  iincleratand- 
in^  the  present.   Some  of  them  formulate  the  origin 
of  castes  in  terms  of  the  evolution  of  their  own  society* 
That  is  v.'hy  they  never  cone  to  any  understanding  isith  an 
educated  and  thoughtful  Hindu,   Kor  have  they  ever  been 
able  to  propose  any  workable  or  acceptable  modifications 
of  this  much  criticised  system. 

But  the  natives  of  India  would  hive  to  think  of 
castes  with  ouite  a  different  feeling.   They  cannot  afford 
to  enjoy  the  ibsurdities.   To  them  it  is  serious  since 
it  is  a  life  problem  for  them.   An  oi^tsider  would  look 
at  the  Hindu  society  without  any  feeling  as  an  anatomist 
wo!-ld  examine  a  dead  body,   But  a  Hindu  cannot  remain  un-^ 
moved.   The  more  he  thinks  about  the  caste  system,  his- 
toriciily,  traditionally  and  eociologio  illy  ^nd  compares 
it  with  its  condition  and  form  of  today,  the  better  he 
realizes  his  burden  of  resDonsibllity.  He  may  dislike  to 
see  the  weikneeseji  of  his  social  organization,  but  in 
view  of  the  gradual  enchroachment  of  foreign  commercial 
elements  that  ^re  attempting  to  destroy  caste  without 

any  better  substitutes,  such  a  dislike  should  not  be 
entertained. 


s 


Tiie  bliss  of  ignorance  may  be  very  pie  Bine;  bat 
tixe  price  to  be  paid  for  it  iiardly  justifies  the  cost. 
We  must  stady  the  problem  ^Itii  tne  aim  of  finding  oat  its 
best  aspects  and  elimin^ate  the  shortcomings  where  they  have 
crept  in. 
Castes  of  India  as  a  v>orld  problem* 

Caste  was  for  a  long  time  exclnslvely  a  oroblem 
that  concerned  the  inhabitants  of  India*   It  is  nc^i  longer 
80.  With  the  increase  of  ooBurjunioation  dae  to  progress 
in  oar  ^ge,  the  several  groups  of  human  beings  are  canetant* 
ly  being  brought  in  touch  v ith  one  another*   The  social 
relit ions  of  the  human  family  -re  widening  every  day. 
<   If  the  problem  of  Hindu  oaates  is  not  sanely  ind  carefully 
solved  by  the  educators,  the  present  chaotic  complexity 
into  vihich  the  original  simple  divisions  of  society  have 
unfortunately  calmin  ted,  v ill  be  a  grave  obstacle  in  the 
path  of  the  gradual  unification  of  the  human  race.   One 
fifth  of  the  human  family  is  entan^^led  by  the  oaste  system , 
and  there  is  no  other  single  obst^icle  of  equal  magnitude 
that  o:in  threaten  the  desirable  unity  of  interest  md 
mutual  understanding  of  the  peoples  of  the  v.orld,  if  ever 
it  is  t  ossible  rnd  ever  goin^^;  to  vorked  out. 

Europeans  find  this  problem  of  caste^  that  confronts 
the  Hindus  of  India,  very  hard  to  understand.  They  have 
always  had  enon^h   of  their  own  troubles  to  attend  to; 
but  the  oeonle  of  the  United  States  sre  in  h   different 


oOndition.   TJiey  have  some  glaring  oaees  of  oaste  In 
their  population  md  many  suboafcjtes  though  not  legally 
or  religiously  defined.   The  conduct  of  these  Amerioan 
oastee  lis  pretty  nearly  elmilar  in  spirit  to  that  of 
the  Indian  castes  in  their  mutual  relationshlng. 
Thoughtful  Americans  would  be  able  to  understand  the 
magnitude  of  this  problem  to   a  considerable  degree. 
What  Americ^>n8  can  Do. 

It  T^ould  be  a  good  thing  for  this  Hepublic 
if  the  scholars,   nd  especially  the  educators  tere^ 
i^ould  take  a  scientific  attitude  toward  the  situation 
in  India  instead  of  joinln^  iwith  the  Europeans  in 
censuring  them  for  an  institution  vihich  due  to  many 
causes  has  become  corrupt  and  doec  not  function  as 
it  uas  originally  designed  to  function  by  the  Indo- 
Aryans.   Hindus  do  welcome  Vvholesorae,  friendly  und 
scientific  advice  and  suggestions  to  modify  their  so- 
cial organization  and  to  set  them  right.   They  them- 
selves are  keenly  conscious  of  the  social  disinte- 
gration and  degeneration  that  is  gradually  taking 
pl^ce  in  the  Hindu  society.  Hindu  leaders  in  all 
walks  of  life  h^ve  found  themselves  unable  to  touch 
this  problem  of  social  organization  and  its  badly 
needed  reconstruction.   They  are  confronted   ith 
many  vital  problems  of  a  very  serious  nature  th  it  need 
immediate  attention  and  action  to  save  the  country 


/o 


from  deetraction.  Moreover,  there  is  one  more  internal 
difficulty  in  tiieir  ^ay.   Caste  in  India  its  a  develop- 
ment of  at  leafet  three  tjiousand  years  and  all  the  social 
manners  and  customs  of  the  Hindus  are  so  modeled  and 
interrelated  as  to  fit  the  caste  system.   The  more 
highly  organized  a  system,  the  h-^rder  it  is  to  change 
it.   The  caste,  system  is  no  exception  to  tills  rule. 

There  h  ve  been  revolts  against  this  system  in  .its 

■  /  • 

modern  form, from  the  very  early  period  when  it  .'^Lsumed 
a  rig-id  ^.?nd  narrow  policy.  i3ut  most  of  them  succeeded 
only  in  multiplying^  the  evils. 

Principles  antagonistic  to  the  system  were 
forced  into  society  by  the  swords  of  the  Mohammedans, 
by  tne  bayonets^  of  the  Portuguese  md  by  the  orgmized 
and  wealthy  missiont:  of  the  Suropeani-  and  Araericins  of 
the  nineteentn  and  twentieth  centuries,  but  they  ill 
failed  to  make  much  of  an  impression.   On  the  contrary 
they  h'vo  ere  2 ted  one  more  oatte  of  Christians  who 
observe  tne  same  rules  v.ithin  their  newly  created 
comm.unity  v  ith  regard  to  marriage  and  other  social 
relationships. 

How  therefore,  ?ifter  such  attemrts  of  -an 
unsocial  and  unfriendly  character  n^ve  f^-^iled,  is  the 
time  when  symp'-thetic  and  scientific  study  of  the 


// 


instittttion  of  oaste  snonld  be  made  to  discover  its 
cMef  outstanding  fe^tureB  with  their  psyohologioal 
baoliggrounds* 
B^aoational  Problem* 

^his  ia  essentially  an  edaeational  problem. 
It  cannot  be  solved  b^   politicians  or  economists.   For 
measares  that  tiiey  would  propose  to  adopt  xO.   handling 
this  grave  problem  would  be  looked  upon  with  mis- 
giving and  susi-^icion  by  the  natives  of  India.  These 
two  a^jencies  of  modern  civilization  have  culminated 
in  creating  suspicion  and  at  times  genaine  hatred 
among  the  peoples  of  the  world  today.   John  Mott,  the 
well  known  American  world  tourist,  who  has  spent  all 
his  life  in  studying  the  nations  of  the  world,  before, 
daring  and  after  the  War,  emphatically  r ointed  out  in 
his  address  to  the  students  of  the  University  of 
California,  recently  that  the  ^orld  is  seething  with 
bitter  distrust,  suspicion  and  often  inhuman  hatred 
throughout  it.^  length  and  breadth.   "What  the  world 
needs  is  not  politics,  economic  conferences,  religions 
propoganda  through  missionaries, to  eradicate  the  funda- 
mental wrong  from  the  world,  so  much  as  a  human  educa- 
tion." 

Edooationally  this  problem  of  the  caste 


/z 


system  Is  of  mighty  importance ,  for  it  lias  claimed 
for  so  many  centuries  to  administer  to  tite  same  needs 
and  requirements  of  society  to  which  modern  education 
lays  claim*  Professor  Bolton  offers  several,  broad 
and  narrow  deflnitionp  of  education  in  his  text  book. 
One  of  those  definitions  exactly  corresponds  to  the  aim 
laid  down  in  th.e  conetitation  of  the  Hindu  social 
organization.  Professor  Solton  say/  "Education  is  not 
mere  trainine;  or  int-truction  in  some  art  bat  it  is 
living  actual  life.   It  does  not,  therefore^  begin 
or  ^n^    in  the  school  li^alls.  Every  instigation,  lav,^, 
custom  or  social  approval  and  disapr^roval  are  the 
several  a^^encies  of  education;  and  thet^e  ^^hQXi   centra-^ 
lized  into  one  make  what  is  called  a  social  system." 
This  is  the  sphere  of  modern  education  and  It  has  been 
so  that  of  the  Hindu  caste  system.   The  very  existence 
of  the  caste  system  depends  upon  the  proper  v.orking 
of  all  those  agjencies  which  must  run  so  as  to  uphold 
this  all  embracing  institution.   Thus  the  sphere  and 
function  of  the  caste  system  is  plain. 
Plan  of  Disc as si  on. 

The  plan  of  discussing  the  topic  of  this 
thesis  consists  of  three  main  divisions :- 

!•        A  brief  study  of  the  physical  nature  of 
India  and  an  ethnological  description  of  the 
peoples  inhabiting  it.   Such  an  acquaintance 


n 


with  tJie  geograpliy  of  tlie  country  and  the  type 
of  the  people  Is  sn  essential  prereqaielte  for 
any  study  of  txiis  kind. 

2«       An  exposition  of  the  idea  of  oaste  and  the 
evolution  of  the  caste  system  as  €in  organization 
in  terms  of  the  philosophic,  relig^ious  and  olisei- 
oal  Sanskrit  literature. 

Heading  into  the  ancient  Ij teiv.it ure  of  the 
idea  of  c">ete  system  has  this  great  significance. 
Although  the  Inui.n  people  live  in  terms  of  their 
religious  lavs  and  creeds  and  customs,  yet  in  the 
case  of  vital  issnes  of  their  individual  or  social 
life  they  go  back  to  the  ancient  schools  of  fhilo- 
Bophy  an(^  to  the  claeelcal  poets  for  decision. 
Vedio  and  post-Vedic  literature  hat-  commanded  great 
respect  and  admiration  of  all  Hindus.   Therefore, 
all  the  different  creeds  that  arose  in  India  have 
alwayii  shown  gre.it  car.:  *   not  violating' tne 
teachings  of  the  philosocrxers  and  the  poets.   Only 
such  creeds  and  deviations  from  the  Hindu  social 
laws  hsve  found  a  hold  in  the  Indian  communities. 
Others  such  *:is  Buddhism,  that  did  not  find  an  ex- 
planation and  justification  in  the  i^ise  teachings 
of  the  Vedas  and  the  i^hilosophers  and  poets,  could 
not  obtain  any  pei-manent  following  in  India. 


/y 


Thus  if  an  edacator  ever  works  out  a  nrogram  of 
education  for  the  Indian  people,  ^hlcJi  either  sup- 
ports the  caste  system  in  its  modified  form,  or 
proposes  to  destrD^v  it  completely,  v/ill  be  benefit- 
ed by  this  study*  The  Indian  mind  can  be  reasonably 
approached  through  the  teaohin^-s  of  their  OT?fn  fore- 
fathers* All  the  reformer  hiis  to  do,  i^^  to  justi- 
fy his  teachings  in  terms  of  the  ancient  liter-itures* 
Por  that  purpose,  there  are  presented  the  discus- 
sions of  a   few  theories  of  the  caste  system  in  the 
second  part  of  the  treatment*  These  theories  are 
not  discussed  in  terms  of  our  laresent  days  notions 
and  beliefs,  but  are  mainly  expositions  of  the 
ancient  Hindu  thought* 

After  this  much  background  a  psychological 
exposition  of  the  original  castes  is  given.  This 
Is  purely  objective  in  nature  and  shows  the  univer- 
sal implications  of  the  castes.  This  discnssion 
is  followed  by  the  Indian  educational  program  as 
was  worked  out  by  the  ancient  Indo-Aryans,  to  en- 
sure the  proper  working  and  administration  of  their 
social  organization* 

The   degenerate  \n   of  the   TTTrda  castes   into  the 
present   day  chaotic   social  organization, is  discussed 
with  a  view  to  present  the   existing  condition   of 


/b 


Hindu  society*   It  is  out  of  this  chaos  that  an 
educator  has  to  v  ork  a  r*;  con  struct  ion  scheme, 
sach  -^   scheme  of  odacation,  that  it  may  become  accept 
able  and  practical,  will  have  to  be  bailt  aoon  the 
several  educational  sdaj^^^estioni,^  th^it  the  discussions 
here,  have  to  offer.   Therefore,  such  edaoatlonal 
suj^gestions  as  the  problem  qI   caote  gives  rit-e  to, 
are  put  forward.  This  is  done  by  i^ay  of  summaris- 
ing the  different  discuss iohs  in  their  regular 
order  in  order  to  bring  out  in  a  synthetic  fashion, 
the  caste  as  an  educational  nroblem. 

There  -ire  then,  three  final  aims  in  view  in 
the  discussion  of  this  tonic: - 


To  make  the  literary  evidence  avallfible 
to  ?::  student  of  Hindu  castes  vsho  is  interested 
in  the  problems  of  India  educationally. 


?.*      To  present  the  present  day  tendencies  of 
Hindu  society  and  their  probable  effects. 


To  tie  up  the  old  and  the  new  ideas  with 
modern  tendencies  and  efforts  of  American 
educators. 


/c 


OHAPTEH  II > 
IiroXA  AI^D  THE  IHDIAfi  PEOPLE. 

Asia  is  the  biggest  and  the  oldest  of  the  con-* 
tinents*   The  oenters  of  ancient  civilisations  are  all  to 
be  found  within  the  confines  of  this  continent,  and  those 
too,  are  located  mainly  in  central  Asia,   iixcept  Kgypt 
in  Africa,  all  the  consistent  and  aseful  information 
concerning  the  life  find  achievements  of  mankind  since  the 
days  of  its  known  appearance  on  the  globe,  could  be  had 
from  the  invest i^ati one  and  studies  of  things  Asiatic. 

Place  of  India  in  the  Asiatic  World:- 

In  ^^V^   ^hen  one  ^"  nt=^  to  make  .  study  of 
several  countries  and  the  several  contributory  factors 
of  civilization,  he  is  required  to  stor   in  considering 
India  longer  thm  at  any  other  nlaoe.   This  is  beOMise, 
more  contributions  are  made  by  India;  Because  the  source 
of  many  of  the  oontrlbution^^  of  other  Asiatic  countries 
is  found  in  India;  and  lab^tiy  because  all  the  mention  ble 
contributionc  tn>.t  India  made  toward  the  building  of 
the  human  progress  as  such,  have  been  uniauely  durable 
and  permanent  in  character.   To  understand  anything 
about  India  or  about  any  other  country  it  is  necessary, 
in  the  first  T)lace,  to  ge<r  «ome  aoauaintanoe  Vvith  the 
geogranhy  of  the  country  nnd  the  type  of  the  people  in- 
habiting it.   Therefore  such  a  v. ord  picture  is  presented 
in  this  chapter. 


tteographlo  -picture  of  India : 

India  Is  situated  between  the  latitude  8  and  35fi«^ 
and  longitude  66  and  90  £•  On  the  north  It  Is  separated 
from  the  elevated  tableland  of  1*1  bet  by  the  Himalayan  moun- 
tains; on  the  west  the  Suleman  range  separates  it  from 
Afganlsthan  and  Baloochlsthan;  on  the  Sast  continuous  ranges 
of  mountains  and  forests  separate  It  from  iJurnah;  while  on 
the  3outh  the  country  projects  in  the  form  of  an  Irregular 
triangle  In  to  the  Indian  ocean  for  about  one  thousend  mllea 
Its  length  from  i^orth  to  st^outh  is  about  nineteen  hundred 
miles  and  its  breadth  »  where  greatest  ,  eighteen  hundred 
miles  but  the  area  does  not  exceod  1,600,000  square  miles. 
Variety  of  physical  aspects: 

'  Uo   one  who  travels  through  the  length  and  breadtii 
of  this  vast  country,  more  appropriately  called  the  continent 
of  India,  can  fail  to  be  struck  with  the  extraordinary  varietRZ 
of  its  physical  aspects.  In  the  Horth  rise  magnificent 
mountain  altitudes,  bound  by  snow  field  and  glacier  In  eternal 
solitude.  At  their  feet  lie  smooth  wide  spaces  of  depressed 
river  basins;  either  sandy,  dry,  6uid  sun  scorbhed,  or  culti- 
vated and  water-logged  under  a  steaety  moisture-laden  atmos- 
phBse. 

So  the  South  spreads  a  great  central  plateau, 
where  indigenous  forests  still  hide  the  scattered  clans  of 
aboriginal  tribes;  flanked  on  the  West  by  the  broken  crags, 
over  loolcing  the  Indian  ocean,  and  on  the  south  by  gentle, 
smooth,  rounded  slopes  of  green  uplands,  oome  thing  at  least 


lO 


tit   the  throea  and  convuldlons  of  nature  which  aocompanled 
the  birth  of  this  changeful  land  is  recorded  in  the  physiccLl 
aspect  of  the  mountains  and  valleys  which  traverse  it ;  and  wl 
an  appeal  to  the  evidence  of  rocks  is  answered  by  tne  story-^ 
of  its  evolution." 

India  thus  rough  hewn  by  the  hand  of  nature,  had 
hardly  added  the  finishing  touches  to  her  outlines  when  her 
beauty  and  her  promise  were  recognized  by  man-  For  many 
ages  India  was  not  known,  even  to  its  early  inhabitants, 
by  any  lingle  epithet  which  would  embrace  all  her  tribes 
and  races*  It  was  in  fact  ,  never  a  one  country  but  a  con- 
tinent, in  the  real  sense  of  the  tenp,  composed  of  nany 
Gentries,  inhabited  by  many  tribes  and  races  different  from 
one  another  in  physical  and  social  traits.  The  first  recog- 
nizable term  for  India  was  Bharatvarsha  (  the  land  of  the 
iiharatas,a  noble  warrior-tribe  which  came  in  to  India  from 
the  iJorth. )  It  was  applied  only  to  the  basins  of  the  rivers 
Indus  and  vianges.  and  only  to  a  part  even  of  them.  The  Aryan 
peoples  o£  central  Asia  pouring  through  the  highlands  in  to 
India,  Impelled  southward  by  the  crowd  of  competing  humanity 
in  high  Asia,  found  their  progress  barred  by  the  Indus, 
which  must  have  appeared  to  them  to  be  a  vast  expanse  of 
waters,  even  as  the  sea;  and  they  called  It  by  the  ocean 
name  of  '  3indhu-nad, "  a  name  that  still  survives  in  the 
region  bordering  its  lower  reaches. 


// 


The  i'erslans  called  It  Hendu  In  the  J^end  language; 
the  Greeks  reducea  the  name  to  Indos,  but  they  knew  the 
native  name  aindfttis.   Eastern  nations  equally  with  the 
i^estem,  knew  India  as  the  land  of  the  Indus,  'i^he  famous 
Chinese  pilgrim,  Hluen  isiang  t  629  -  645, A.J).  ),  decides 
that  the  rightful  appellation  is  In-tu.  Modern  Persian, which 
makes  It  hind  has  been  adopted  in  the  title  of  the  l^raperor, 
"  iiaisar-i-aind, "  thus  giving  it  a  far  wider  application 
than  its  original  significance,  which  was  limited  to  a  part 
of  the  i:'imjab  and  the  basin  of  the  Ganges. 

The  Aryan  people  who  entered  India  from  the  Korth 
did  not  come  in  one  stock  tout  in  several  branches.  According 
to  some  the  original  home  of  the  Aryan  people (who  are  roughly 
spf-akin^  same  as  the  Cancationo  )  was  some  where  in  the  ^rtlx; 
region.  (  **  Artie  home  in  the  ^edas*"  by  mr.B.G.iilak,  is  a 
scholarly  work  on  this  sutojeot.  )•   Prom  those  cold  regions 
these  fair  skined  people  migrated  downward  in  their  search 
of  ha>>itation  and  settled  in  Asia-minor.  Jio  authentic  ni story 
of  th'^lr  life  during  this  time  in  which  they  left  their  ^rtic 
hone  and  settled  in  the  Asia-minor  Is  available.  But  some 
what  connected  account  is  obtainable  about  the  further  move- 
ments of  the  Aryans  who  are  supposed  to  have  branched  out  In 
to  innumernhifl  croups  and  gone  in  different  directions;  some 
gronps  even  creasing  the  continent  of  Asia  and  entering  the 
Buropeon  continent  •  Thus  we  see  today  the  members  of  the 


^ 


Aryan  race  spread  over  Europe  and  Asia  alike. 

These  Aryans  were  pastoral  people  and  nsed  to  move 
from  place  to  place  with  their  wi/iJves  and  herds  of  cattle  In 
search  of  corofortahle  habitation  and  life,  in  different  seasons 
of  the  year,  i^he  branch  that  happened  to  turn  toward  India 
does  not  seem  to  have  very  big  populatioti;  moreover  they  did 
not  have  sufficient  number  of  women  aaong  them;  these  facts 
ar*  borne  out  from  the  study  of  their  subsiquont  life  in  the 
Indian  plains  where  they  came  in  contact  with  several  other 
tribes  and  races  of  people  and  stooped  to  hybridization  pro- 
cess. 

The  members  of  this  branch  of  the  Aryans  that  came 
to  be  Imown  in  the  recorded  history  as  IJIDO-AKYAUd,  during 
their  long  and  difficult  wanderings  through  the  mountainous 
regions  of  the  countries  on  the  north  western  borders  of 
India,  came  across  various  natural,  phinomina.  wandering 
life  (which  is  literally  an  unsettled  lifo)  is  as  a  rule 
carefree  and  people  leading  such  a  life,  not  being  tied  by 
any  property  consciousness  of  a  definite  nature  and  left 
free  to  enjoy  nature  and  exploit  her  to  the  extent  of  ful- 
filling their  needs  and  no  more,  when  fortunately  by  acci- 
dent come  under  such  conditions  of  nature  as  the  Indo-Aryaaa 

did,  oecoHie  abstract  thinkers  and  conceive  out  of  shBer 
gratefulness,  the  greatnoss  and  glory  of  the  creator. 


XI 


This  may  not  be  tme  of  all  noisadic  tribes  of  the 
€UQCient  world;  for  the  climatic,  geographical  and  auch 
other  physical  conditions  have  ^est  deal  to  do  with  the 
evolution  of  the  life  and  thought  of  the  human  beings.  But 
when  these  Indo- Aryans  after  having  gone  through  a  severe 
fight  with  the  Mature,  thus  leaning  many  things  by  way  of 
experience  and  evolving  many  of  their  dormont  capacitled, 
physical  and  mental  and  gradually  developing  them  oy  con- 
stant exercise,  when  came  up  to  a  place  where  the  Mature 
seemea  to  be  all  merciful  nd  benign,  lands  furtlle  beyond 
description,  beautiful  nd  large  rivers  with  abundent  of 
clear,  sweet  water,  lofty  skylicking  mountains,  serving  as 
natural  boundaries  and  nighty  walls  to  protect  them  from 
out  side  invasions  and  attacks,  naturaljry  their  merry 
and  spirited  dispositions  caught  the  idea  o4  settlement. 

the  only  litarary  work  that  we  have  which  gives 
the  idea  of  the  life  and  thought  ofi  these  early  Aryan 
settlers  before  their  actual  occupation  of  the  ^angetlc 
plane  Is  the  Rig-Veda.  Ihis  -jrork  consists  of  ten  books. 
The  first  few  books  are  regarded  as  being  composed  while 
these  people  were  still  out  side  India.  In  the  main  this 
Higveda,  the  first  of  the  four  sacred  Yedas  of  the  Hindus, 
gives  A  clear  account  of  the  daily  life  of  these  ^ryan  - 
people.  Acoordln/T  to  western  scholars  the  Rig-veda  dates 


:^^ 


as  baclr  as  1500  B.C.  The  orthodox  Hindu  view  carries  It 
still  farther  back  In  the  past. 

According  to  th«  descriptions  found  in  the  Yedas 
especially  in  the  earlior  portions,  we  know  that  these 
wandering  Aryans  were  Imown  as  Sushis  (  Ru,to  go  ).  These 
goers,! .e*  mlgretory  Aryans  were  great  explorers.  They 
moved  from  place  to  place  to  find  out  new  parts  of  the 
country  that  wer«  habitable  and  thus  their  adventurous  life 
gave  them  the  leadership  of  the  rest  of  the  hoard.  !i?his 
position  partly  taken  and  partly  accorded  them,  made  them 
feel  the  responsibility  of  their  vTork  of  leading,  coun- 
selling and  organizing  the  social  life  of  the  people;  hence 
{7^W:  ^^  i^lh  I       )   I.e.,  "Rushis  are  the  seers  of 
wisdom,"  say  the  scriptures.  These  Rushis  composed  prayers 
and  conductei  religious  ceremonies  which  they  worked  out 
according  to  their  ideas  of  God  -(these  were  many)  for 
these  Aryans  were  Mature  worshipers.  AH  the  big  manifesta- 
tions of  Hature  from  which  they  received  the  several 
means  and  comforts  of  life  naturally  appeared  to  them  as  the 
manifestation   of  the  creator  and  Inorder  to  Inspire  fear 
of  God  and  foster  devotional  attitudes  and  such  other 
mental  disciplines  that  are  ever  desirable  for  making  life 
purposive,  steady  and  systematic,  these  Rushis  started  the 
Investigations  Into  the  thought  of  the  creation,  ihelr 
speculations  are  recorded  nd  have  grown  into  what  are 
known  as  the  Vedas  and  the  subsiquent  commentaries  and 
other  sacred  literature  of  the  Indian  people. 


Al 


At  this  period  of  history,  while  the  speculative 
work  of  the  Hashi  was  going  on,  the  rest  of  the  people 
were  busy  catting  down  forests,  cultivating  lands,  build- 
ing houses,  establishing  schools  and  working  out  social 
organization  program.  As  one  would  expect  from  the  know- 
ledge of  history  of  other  peoples,  these  Aryans  did  not 
establish  any  patriarchal  system  of  social  organization 
but  a  communal  one. 

There  w^a  jULJ^S^te  eyatem  at^thXs  period  •  All 
who^joame  fr f:Bnout__itf  India  lived  together  as  one  comma- 
nity.  They  conquered  the  black  aboriginies  but  never  made 
slaves  out  of  them*  They  were  driven  out  into  the  southern 
parts  of  the  country  and  in  the  mountain  fastnesses  and 
were  kept  out  from  coming  in  and  disturbing  the  smooth 
working  of  tne  Aryan  society  and  philosophic  contemplations 
of  the  Rushis,who  as  the  life  became  more  steady  and  esta- 
blished became  sages  (  chiefly  philosophers, forest- 
meditators,  educators,  priests  and  counselors). 

There  is  no  definite  proof  as  to  when  and  how  | 
the  social  organization  on  the  baais  of  four  castes  waa 
established  but  from  the  reading  of  the  Vedas  one  gets 
this  idea  very  redily  that,  as  the  Aryans  became  stable 
and  as  their  phiieeophical  inquiries  -eveloped  and  as 
their  population  increased,  the  need  for  s(»ie  kind  of 


^r 


aOQlal  organisation  of  an  adiBinl8tt»t!tT«  natitro  was  etrongly 
felt* 

$hU8  wo  800  tho  ^a&i^otlo  pXnjfto  bolni;  mado  hone  by 
tlio  Indo-'^ryana^   ^11  tho  roglon  starting  from  tbo  rlYor 
Indita  ttpto  tho  rlTor  ^^angaa  fron  #08t  to  Baat  oame  to  bo 
oaXXod  tho  Aryararta  or  tho  abodo  of  tho  Aryans*  I'hon  tho 
migration  dtio  to  Inoroaslng  population  again  bogan«  Xhoro 
was  a  donso  foroat  aituatod  botwoon  tho  Jlolrthom  India  and 
^onthorn  lndla«  knows  as  i>andakaranya«    ^hls  was  supposed 
to  bo  Inponotrablo  and  was  a  rosort  of  tho  blaok  aborlglnloa 
who  woro  always  dangorons  to  tho  whlto  Aryan  isvlgrants* 

Also  It  shottld  bo  notod  horo  that,  by  this  tins  tho 
Aryans  had  ooae  in  oontaot  with  othar  raoos  eapoelalXy  tho 
Mongolians  who  also  wore  pouring  Into  India  fron  tho  Bastom 
pasaes.  rhoBo  woro  Slbotlans,  Chlnoso  and  daraosos  in  tho  »ain« 
f ha  ^oirlneea  of  tsaa  aiid  riJastai^  Bengal  are  full  of  a  popu- 
lation that  is  mainly  of  the  mongolian  stook*  fho  Aryan  oom- 
ffionity  doing  short  of  woron  naturally  took  wItos  froai  among  t 
those  various  tribes*  Of  oourse  this  was  necessary  only  on 
tho  part  of  those  who  were  of  an  inferior  metal,  physloally 
or  »entaiy.  ihoy  tended  tfiR  Hilm  wdth  tho  peoples  that  were 
physloally  and  mentally  inferior  as  a  race  to  their  own  otoolr. 
i'hus  wo  can  notice  time  and  again  in  tho  older  literaturot  un» 
written  laws  cropping  out  distinguishing  the  pure  blooded 


->g[    uii 


]f»   * 


tii#«»*  m^'^^  «-^'«*.- 


.•V    .    "l*.  *     > 


^M-£i^- 


^f 


Aryans  from  those  vlxo  degraded  tiiemaelvea  and  agreed  to 
liftTe  their  personal  desires  gratified  by  forming  matri- 
monial relationehipa  with  the  non-Aryans. 

The  natural  soenery  of  the  central  Indian  region 
vas  a  great  faoination  for  the  Baehls  who  were  always  In 
search  of  places  fitted  for  their  hermitages  and  philoso- 
phic contemplations*  A  short  description  of  the  central 
Indian  region  will  give  some  idea  of  the  physical  and 
climatic  effect  that  it  had  up  on  the  people* 

Central  India • 

**  The  general  lie  of  the  ?lndhya  region  is  so  nearly 
horizontal  that  through  ont  central  India  there  is  one  pre- 
▼ailing  1  type  of  scenery.  The  sharp  narrov-baoked  ridges  of 
the  Hajpatana  border^  following  the  strike  of  the  AraTallis, 
glTS  place  to  broader  flattereleTatlons»  where  the  red  sand 
stone  strata  spread  into  nearly  horizonral  layers,  with  a 
gentle  tilt  south  wards  towards  the  Vindhya  water-parting* 
The  rivers  occasslonally  rxxn   deep,  with  a  net  work  of  In- 
tricate ravines*  Snch  well  marked  hills  as  that  which  is 
sormoanted  by  a  rock  fortress  of  Gwallor  are  rare,  bat  they 
occar  with  less  acoentaated  features  farther  eouth,  and 
with  a  general  tendency  to  scatter  in  to  Isolated  groups, 
leaving  wide  spaces  of  flat  plane  between* 

fhe  forest  areas  are  restricted  in  this  part  of 
the  country.  The  climate  is  for  the  most  part  delightful 


■OB  ^r!;.  11 


T;t'ft^'0   ;t.:»{!f    dsitJCtLfl*   '^^ad^    II 


^^ 


in  vintor  and  moderate  in  sonuner.  Tlie  eleyation  of  tJie 
planes  rleea  to  abont  two  tlioaaend  tc&t   above  the  aea-level^ 
aodi  the  scenery  amid  the  broken  highlande  is  magnifioent*** 

The  Indian  oontinent  from  the  ef^oographloal  point 
of  Tlew  ooald  be  derided  into  three  main  parte:  Horthern- 
India,  Central-India,  and  Southern-Indi^,  or  i^eccan  ae  it 
la  popularly  kno^n*  Northern  India  has  been  deeoribed 
while  disoiiesing  the  oocapation  of  that  region  by  the  Aryans. 

Central  India  has  been  desoribed  obove  in  the  quotation 
from  the  Imperial  Gazetteer.lSow  a  short  deeorlption  of  the 
soathern  India  will  ma'ice  it  easy  to  anderetand  the  peoples 
of  India  and  the  doontry  as  a  whole* 

Soathern  India, 

Soath  of  the  Tapti  river  oommences  the  Deooan, 
that  striking  physioal.  feature  whioh  shapes  the  whole  oon- 
tinent of  India*  The  great  three -cornered  apheaval  which 
abutting  on  the  line  of  th^  western-Ghats  over  looking  the 
Bay. of  Bengal.  Fringing  this  central  sloping  plateau  on 
either  side  is  a  narrow  atrip  of  ooast  land,  whioh  oompriees 
the  lowlands  of  Bombay  on  the  west  ooast  and  of  Madras  on 

the  Kast*  These  lowlands  form  the  India  known  to  the 

« 

mediaeval  tradition*  It  «as  on  them  that  the  foreigner  pushing 
forward  his  ocxnmeroial  interests,  first  set  his  foot;  and 
the  India  known  to  the  west  for  many  oenturies  was  but  the 


^7 


narrow  margin  of  fertile  territory  which  lay  below  the 
feei  of  the  rocuntelng  known  as  the  Eastern  and  Western 
Ghats. 

When  the  graat  prehlatorlo  sea  of  northern 
Bajputan  disappear '3d,   there  disappears  "^  with  It  those 
climatic  influences  rrhich  once  streaked  Rajpntana  with 
glaciers;   hut   in  later  years  the  evl'lence  of  land 
ftrffla felon  has  reasserted   Itself  and  is  even  yet  Ih 
prosess   of  evolution.    Where  the  saaids  of  F.ajputana, 
shelving  gently  ires^ward,  merge  into  the  flats  of  the 
Arabian  sea,  we  find  the  Indefinite  space  of  land  and 
water  called  the  Eann  of  Cutc>,   g-enerally  defined  In 
modern  maps  as  a  gulf  of  sec,  with  the  Island  of  Cutch 
standing  in  its  midst  and  the  penlnula  of  Kathlawad 
■•paratlng  it   from  the  shallow  £ulf  of  Canby» 

The  western  promontory  of  Kathlawad  has  yellded 
•one  what  tot  the  oceon,     whose  waves  now  heat   on  steps 
of  the  temple  at  jDwarka;   and  there  are  trfadltlons  of 
Islands  farther  south  fringing  the  ^^oast   in  the  days 
when  the  slow  fleet   of  Nearehus  was  piloted  from  the 
Indusr  ^^^^^'^  to  Persia,  which  have  altogether  disappeare^ld 


3.S 


All  theaa  resrlona  of  India  are  populated 
today  by  races  of  all  colors  and  klnf'.B.  Anthropological 
Inveatlgatlona  have  b-een  made  by  aome  English  scientists 
which  reveal  the  following  ImportanH  data* 

Anthropoliglcal  lata  in  India* 

H8§a«  form  In  India* 

Compared  with  the  rest  of  A8la»  India  may 
be  described  as  njainly  an  area  of  lon^  hea'^^ed  people, 
separate'^  by  the  Elmalayas  pr.^  it 3  cffahoots  from  the 
Mongolian  country,  where  the  broad  healed  types  are 
more  numeroTia  and  more  pronounced  than  any  where  else 
in  the  world.   At  either  end  of  the  mountain  barrier, 
bread  heads  are  strongly  represent efl.  In  Asam  and  Burmah 
on  the  east  and  Baluchisthan  on  the  vest;  and  the  saas 
character  occurs  In  vatying  degrees  in  the  lower 
Hlmalays. 

In  the  Punjab,  Pejputana  ana  the  united  provinces 
long  heads  predominate  hut  th^t  type  gradually  changes 
as  we  travel  eastward.  In  Bihar  mediuro  hea^ls  prevail  on 
the  whole,  77hile  in  certain  of  the  bengal  groups  a 
distinct  tendency  towayd  brachycephaly  may  be  observed. 
This  is  more  distinctly  Tuarired  in  the  Kayawthas  and 
reaches  its  maximum  developement  in  the  Bengal  Brahamans, 


^? 


South  of  the  Vlndhyas  the  prevelent  type  seems 
to  be  mainly  long  headed  or  rpedlum  headed.  The  coast 
population  has  been  much  affected  by  foreign  Influence. 
Kalayn  or  Indo*  Chinese  on  the  east  ;  Arab,  Persian, 
African,  ii^ropeaa,  &nd  ^^^'l^s^  on  ^he  west;  and  the  mixed 
tribes  thus  profiuced  canaot  be  brought  under  any  general 
forujula. 

After  sephallc  index  cones  the  nasal  Index. 
Under  Bt)inology  in  the  Imperial  Gazetteer  of  India,  Vol«I« 
we  find  the  following  observations;*  "  Spealing  generaly, 
it  csay  be  said  that  the  broad  type  of  nose  Is  most  common 
in  Madras,  the  central  provinces,  and  Chota  Fagpur;  that 
fine  noses  in  tho  strict  sens©  of  the  term  are  confined 
to  the  funjeb   and  Baluehlsthan;  and  that  the  population 
of  the  rest  of  India  tends  to  fall  within  the  medium  class* 
But  the  range  of  index  1r  very  great:  it  varies  in  individual 
cases   122  to  53  .  and  tho  mean  Indices  of  different  groups 
differ  considerably  In  the  same  part  of  the  country. 

The  average  Rrsel  proportions  of  the  Mai  Paharla 
tribe  of  Bengal  are  expresned  by  the  figure  94.5  while 
the  pastoral  Gujars  of  the  Punjab  have  an  index  of  66.9 
and  the  aiklis  of  68»8  • 


3« 


In  other  words  the  typical  Bravidlen  at 
represented  by  the  Mal-Pahrla,  hag  a  nose  aa  broad  In 
proportion  to  its  length  as  the  Hegro  ,  while  th*8  feature 
In  the  Indo  Aryan  group  can  fairly  bear  ooiBp&rison  with 
the  nosea  of  sixty  eight  Parisian  ,  measured  by  Toplnard, 
which  gave  an  jigerage  of  69«4  « 

Bven  more  striding  is  the  curiously  close 
corrospondanoe  between  the  gradations  of  racial  type 
indicated  by  the  nasal  in-lex  and  'certain  of  the  social 
data  ascertained  by  independant  inquiryt   If  we  take  a 
series  of  castes  ih  Bengal/  Bihar,  8he  United  Provinees, 
or  Madras,  and  arrainge  them  In  the  order  of  the  asrerage 
nasal  indez,  so  that  the  caste  with  the  finest  nose  shall 
be  at  the  top  and  that  with  the  coarsest  nose  at  the 
bottom  of  the  lis^  ,  it  will  be  found  that  this  order 
substantially  oorrosponds  with  the  accepted  order  of 
social  precedeneot 

Hor  1j?  this  the  only  point  in  which  the  two 
seta  of  obBervatlons,  the  social  and  the  physical  bear 
out  and  illustrate  each  other.  Alcng  with  a  some  what 
finer  fora  of  nose  groups  called  after  the  villages  and 
larger  terTitorial  areata,  ere  bearing  the  name  of  certain 
tribal  or  coinnunal  officials  ,  begin  to  appear;  and  above 


3/ 


these  again  we  reach  the  eponymoufl  saint a  ana  heroes  who 
In  India  as  In  Greece  and  in  I^owe^  are  asscclaled  with  a 
certain  stage  of  Aryan  progress. 

'^he  comparatlYe  fitness  of  the  Mongolian     face 
is  a  pecxiliarity  which  cannot  fall  to  sttike  the  moat 
casual   observ^jr  •    On  closer  e^ramlnation  this  characteristic 
will   be  seen     to  be   closely  donnected       with  the  formation 
of  the  ch*»ek-bone8,   the  margins  of  the  bony  sAcketa   of  the 
eyes,   anfi  the  root   of  the  nose*'* 

This  brings  the  Mongoloid  people  of  Asain  and 
the  eastern  Himalayas  within  the  platyoplc  grpup     and 
effectually  differentiates  them  from  the  spread  headea 
races  of  Baluchlathan,   Boiabay,      end  Ooorg.    It  also  separates 
the  Indo  Aryans  froip  the  Aryo-3>ravidlanSt 

Much  has  been  written  on  the  subject   of  the 
causes  whi«h  effect  the  atature,    1;he  conclusion  in  general 
saena  to  be  that   in  Surope  the  influence  *f  race  is  to  a 
greet  extent   obscured  by  other  factors,   such  as     climate  , 
soil,   elevation,   food  mrply,  habits  of  life,   occupation, 
and  natural   or  artificial   sele'^tlon.      Most  pf  these  causes 
also  coae  into  play  in  India  but  not   ne^^essarily  to  the 
sase  extent   ae  In  Kurnpe,      The  influence  of  city  life, 
which  in  civilised  countries  tends  to  reduce  the  staturs 


33. 


and  to  proau(?e  physical  degeneracy.  Is  relatively  small 
In  India  whore  the  greet  majority  of  the  population  are 
eng£;.ge<5  in  Agriculture, 

On  the  whole  however,  the  distribution  of  stature 
in  India  seoras  to  suggest  that  ra^e  differences  play  lar^^er 
part  than  in  Europe.  All  this  discussion  of  the  physical 
data  enables  us  to  divide  the  people  of  India  Into  seven 
main  physical  types.  They  are:- 

!•  !?uri:o-Iranlan  :-  Represent 6*1  by  the  people  on  the 

nt)rthv7e»v,t  frontier  province,  and 
the  Afgans  etc* 

8,    Indo-  Aryans     ;-  These  are  found  in  Punjab,  Raj- 
put ana,  K«0h!Tii'»'  «nd   In  some  sections 
of  Maharashjpra  {Bombay  Presidency)* 
•Phe  TTiost  important  point  to  observe 
in  the  Indo  Aryan  in easur events  are 
the  great  nnifornaity  of  type  and 
the   ^sry  sll^:ht   differences  between 
the  higher     and   the  lower  groups. 

3,  Soytho-Dravidian:- 

The  Karnthas  cf  the  Dcccan  and 
people  of  Coorg  ana  western  India 
represent  this  type.  These  are 
short  in  stature,  have  greater 
length  of  head,  higher  nasal  index* 
All  these  charsct eristics  inay  be 
due  to  the  intermixture  with  the 
Dravidians. 

4.  Aryo-  Draviaien  :- 

These  are  known  as  Hindusthanves* 
They  are  the  inhabitants  of  the 
United  provinces,  parts  of  Raj- 
Putana,  an(?  Bihar,  Their  complexion 
varies  from  light  brown  to  black. 


35 


5.   Mongolo-Dravidlan:-  These  are  represent e*!  by 

tha  BtBngalles,    These  are 
inhabitants  of  the  lowsr  Bengal 
and  Origsa«    Th*3  Mohammedans  of 
western  Bengal  also  eoroe  under 
this  groijp. 


6t   The  Mongoloid 


7»   Dravidian 


:-     Thes«     ay«  Inhabitants  of  the 
Hlma3fcii?s    ,    NeT>al,   Assam  and 
BttrtRa,    They  have   broad  heads, 
dark  cciiiple'>t'ion  with  a  yellow 
tinge,   short   stature,   flat   fae« 
and  oft  on  oblique  eyes» 

:-     This  iijpB  eirtsnis  froa?  Ceylon 
to  thfi  valley   of  the  <yan?res  and 
I)ervafies,   Maciras,   Hyderabad, 
Chota-Magpur  and  pasts  of  central 
provinces,   Thlg  Is  probably  the 
.    original  type  of  people  thst 
inhabited   India  before  the  Aryans 
?»aKie  in. 


It  r»uBt  b«  however  rlearly  understood  that  the 
areaji  ocupied   by  these  various  types  do  not  admit   of  being 
defined  as  sharply  as  they  inufst   be  shown  on  an  ethnographic 
map.    They  molt   into  efich  other  insensibly  due  to  the  long 

period   of  historic  life  that . Ind^a  hag  lived. 


In  majiy  respects  India  reeepibles  Europe  in  its 
social  formatiori,    i'hat   is  whji  th©   compilers  of  the  Inr^erial- 
Gazetteer  olvi&ys  ap^ak  of  indip   ro  h.  continent,      India 
displays  all   the  traits  that   >    continent  needs  to  possess. 
Just   as  at   the  close  of  t-  days  Journey  in  Europe  one  has 
his  pas  ports  inspected  by  the  counsels  of  more  than  one 
nation  so  in  India       one  passes  within  twenty  four  hours 


S'^ 


trtysi  ^ne  Sthnlc  tra^t   to  anotber.    Also  an  observer  whose 
attention  has   been   clire'^te?^   to  thi«   s«bje<^t  woul<1   realize 
clearly  enough  that   l.he  physieal   ^hara^it eristics  of  the 
people  h'id  undergona   an  appreciable   change  and  he  would 
ceFtalnlt   be  unable  to  say  at  what  partlcult^r  stage   In  hlg 
progresis  the  transformation  had  taken  place. 

Secondly  It  must   not   b?5  iraaglnea  that  any  type 
Is  allegea  to  be  In  exclusive  possession  of  the  ^osallty 
to  whlf»h  It   Is   aslilgned,    SHien   for   example,   l^adras   Is 
described  as  a  Draviaian  &n^  Bengal  as  a  Mongol o-Dravldi an 
trsiet,   this   does  not  mean  that   all  of  the  people  of  Madras 
or  Bengal  must   of  necessity?   belong  to  the  predominant  type. 
?roiE  tiiuea   ImiBeaorial,    in  Indiana  stream     of  rsoveroent  has 
been  setting  from  '^est   to  east   anni   from  north  to  south, 
a  ten'5eney   l«|pelling  the  higher  types  towards  the  territories 
oceupie<^   by  the  lower. 

In  the   course  of  this  Moverreni;  representatives 
of  the  liido-  -iryan  type  havo  spread   themselves  all   over 
India,   as   conquerors,   traders,   land  owners  or  priests, 
preserving  their  orlginel    characteristics  in  varying  degrees, 
and  receiving  a  raeasure  of  social   recognition  dependent   in 

the  main  on  the  purity   of  their  descent   from  the  original      - 

\ 

IniTsi  grants. 


sr 


Thirdly  It   may   be   bsIA  that   tks  narces  assigned 
to  the  types     beg  the  highly  spaculative  ^ueation  of  the 
eleiBent2  which  hs^e   contributed  to  their  formation.    The 
orltiolsin  Is  u];Afin8werable  but  we  must  have  soms   dlattactlve 
nemes  for   oar  types.    And   our  biological   Inestigatlons 
serving  as   the   background  for   ethnological  surveys   offer  us 
tho   afore  mentioned  nai^es» 

In  this  ^Tay  ono  can  so^"^   tho  diversified  and  highly 
complex   situation,    as  it    ^slsts   in  India  while  attempting 
to  understand  any  vital  problem  regarding  Indians. 

To  taka  out   any  problem  out    yi   \t^  proper  setting 
and  discuss   it   to   suggest    a?olutions  has  always  been  the 
cause  of  a  great  wastage  of  time  and  energy     on  the^  part 
of  many,    3ut  more  than  that   individual  loss,   it  has  caused 
raore  harmful  caischief,   than  one  is  aware  of  •    Such  hasty 
and  presuraptious  views  set   afloat   in  the  vast   oceon  of 
Inforinational  literature   ,   thiit  has  so  uniquely  characterl3«W 
our  age,   ha^J  often  rendured  it    oxtremel^/   hard   for  one  to 
get   ut    &  steady  and    sound  understanding  of  India  and  her 
peopl'^    ThL-t   Ig  v;h^    all   this  elaborate   treatment  has  bean 
offered  and  it   is  hoped  that   the  un^'er standing  of  Elndu 
caste  system   ,   as  a  really  serious  problem,  will  be  made 
easy  by  having  this  back  ground  in  mind* 


3C 


Bj  way  of  a  brief  suirjijary  of  this   chapter  the 
follow^*ng  points  will   >><3  nsefnl:- 

!♦   Place   of  India  in  th<^  Asiatic  world* 

2»    Kintcry  of  the  Aryan  liPir.i grants, 

Z.    Physiograhy  of  Inrlia,  (Horthern.   Central  &  Southern,    ) 

4«   Anthropological  data  in  India. 

5.    Kthnolosy   or  the  types  of  people  in  India. 

6«    General     HerDarTrs. 


i7 

Chapter  III 
THEOKIifiS  OP  OiDER  CASTE  SYSTiSM 

There  seems  to  be  no  records  of  the  pre-Aryan  days 
of  India  and  the  Hindu  period  of  the  history  begins  in  the 
remote  and  unchronicled  past.   Our  knowledge,  therefore,  begins 
with  the  l^mns  of  the  Higveda  which  forms  the  greatest  literary 
m«aori?il  of  the  early  Aryan  settlement.   So  far  as  we  ar« 
able  to  discern  it  seems  that  about  three  or  four  thousand 
years  ago  tribes  of  tall  fair  men  of  some  considerable 
culture  and  intelligence  came  from  a  common  habitat  in  central 
Asia.   These  men  belonged  to  groups  of  people  with  the 
fund€Lmental  features  of  Aryan  culture. 

It  is  believed  that  others  of  the  same  stock 
traveled  westward.   One  of  the  western  offshoots  founded 
the  Persian  kingdom.   Another  built  Athens  and  Lacedonia 
which  became  the  Hellenic  natio^^  A  third  went  to  Italy  and 
reared  the  **City  of  Seven  Hills*  which  afterwards  grew  into 
Imperial  Home.   A  distatt colony  of  the  same  race  excavated 
the  silver  ores  of  pre-historic  Spain.  Another  went  as  far 
as  England  where  as  Celts  they  settled  down  and  fished  in 
Wattle  Canoes  and  worked  in  the  mines  of  Cornwall. 

The  tribes  that  entered  India  are  supposed  to  have 
parted  from  their  Iranian  kinsmen  and  traveled  on  foot  and  in 
wagons  with  their  women  folks  and  herds  until  they  reached 
the  land  of  the  five  rivers  now  known  as  "The  Punjab**. 


In  hie  "Les  Castes  dans  1*  Inde**  Mr.  Senart  en- 
deavored to  show  that  after  the  occupation  of  the  Punjab  add 
a  gradual  spread  over  the  fertile  Gangetic  plains  the  Aryans 
began  to  evolve  their  institutions.  According  to  Mr.  Senart 
the  caste  system  is  but  a  normal  developeraent  of  the  Aryan 
institutions.   It  has  its  analogus  in  the  Gens  of  Home  and  the 
Greek  PhratriaJ   "Everything  takes  us  back  to  the  elements 
of  the  old  family  constitution**  says  Senart,  "the  true  name 
of  Caste  is  Jati  which  means  birth  or  race."   The  family, 
however,  at  the  period  when  the  Aryans  entered  India  was  not  the 
sole  social  group.   It  had  been  evolved  by  larger  organisms, 
but  the  clan  and  the  tribe,  what  ever  the  names  by  which  they 
are  known  in  different  countries,  are  but  an  enlargement  of 
the  family  occupying  and  extending  its  organization.   The  Gens, 
Curia,  and  the  tribe  of  Rome  correspond  to  the  family,  Phratria 
aUd  Phyle  of  G  reece;  to  the  family,  G6tra  and  Caste  of  India. 

In  classical  antiquity  the  slow  fusion  of  classes 
was  stimulated  by  and  at  the  same  tioe  was  helped  to  bring 
about  the  Civil  and  Political  ideas  which  succeeded.   In 
India  the  Theocracy  destroyed  the  possibility  of  any  evolution 
in  that  direction.   India  in  the  past  has  never  risen  to  the 
idea  of  the  state  or  nation  or  fatherland.   Instead  of  ex* 
tending  itself,  the  ground  work  of  society  narrowed.   Isolation 
8uid  exclusion  entered  into  the  spirit  of  all  the  Indo-Aiyan 
institutions.   In  the  Mediterranian  republics  the  class  idea 
evolved  into  the  larger  one   of  city.   In  India  where  the  Aryan 


Sf 


immigrants  were  spread  over  a  vast  area  and  where  too  cusabitious 
and  extensive  groupings  were  "bound  to  fail,  it  was  narrowed 
down  into  the  distinctions  of  caste* 

Again,  contact  of  the  Aryans  with  the  peoples  whom  they 
regarded  as  their  inferior  and  for  whose  dark  color  and  bar- 
bar ism  they  had  a  natural  repugnance  was  bound  to  exalt 
in  them  the  pride  of  rade  and  to  increase  the  rigor  of  endogamous 
rule.   In  a  word  such  a  color  prejudice  would  tend  to  favor 
the  usages  and  inclinations  which  lead  to  a  caste  system. 

Sir.  Herbert  Risley  who  made  an  ethnological 
study  of  different  provinces  of  India,  maintanes  that  the 
difference  of  color  between  the  dark  skinned  Bravidian  or 
pre-Aryan  races  and  the  fair  skinned  Aryans,  their  conquerors, 
led  to  a  poJiicy  of  self  protection  on  the  part  of  the  Aryans 
which  ultimately  ciystallized  into  the  caste  system.   This 
theory  is  discussed  under  a  separate  chapter  in  this  thesxsk 

Although  the  caste  system  did  not  exist  in  the  easly 
Vedic  period  /et  it  cannot  be  said  that  it  originated  with 
the  institutes  of  Manu.   There  seems  to  be  little  doubt 
that  at  the  time  when  Manu*8  treatise  appeared,  an  elaborate 
and  highly  developed  social  system  including  tribal  and 
national  groups  of  various  sorts,  existed  in  India.   Class 
divisions  seem  to  have  existed  long  before  Manu.  All  he  did 
was  to  codify  the  existing  clasr  rules.   In  a  code  the  in- 
junctions are  drawn  from  a  model  to  which  it  is  wished  to  raise 


.,     ,J     .   J 


f  nl 


ifo 

the  community.   Its  prohibitions  are  derived  from  certain 
states  of  crime  apprehended  at  the  time/ 

theories  regarding  the  origin  of  the  caste  system 
seem  to  be  many.   In  this  paper  a  few  important  theories 
are  discussed  at  length;  such  as  the  color  theory  and  the 
economic  theor:^''.   There  is  one  theory  which  could  be  better 
named  as  "The  mystic  origin  of  the  caste  system,**   The  above 
three  explain  the  origin  of  the  caste  eastern  in  the  form  of 
four  all  sufficing  divisions  of  the  society.   There  are 
many  theories  but  those  do  not  ^pply  to  the  original  four 
castes.   They  explain  the  origins  of  several  subcastes  which 
will  be  discussed  in  the  charter  titled  **Multiplication  of 
castes  and  its  Hesults", 

The  oldest  extant  passage  in  which  the  idea  of  the 
division  of  society  into  classes  occurs  is  in  the  nineteenth 
hymn  of  the  tenth  book  of  Higveda  known  as  The  Purusha  Sukta. 
There  are  many  authorities  who  are  of  the  opinion  that  this 
hymn,  as  a  whole  is  obscure  and  of  an  entirely  n^stically 
import.   It  describes  the  act  of  creation  in  the  guise  of 
a  huge  sacrifice  performed  by  the  Gods,  in  which  the  central 
figure  and  victim  is  the  great  Purusha^  who  it  is  said  is 
*the  whole  universe,  whatever  has  been  and  what  ever  shall  be," 


mi^ 


The  Purusha  •   Sukta  as  translated  into  Knglish 
runs  thus: 

"The  unbodied  spirit  has  a  thousand  heads 
A  thousand  eyes,  a  thousand  feet,  around 
On  every  side  enveloping  the  earth 
Yet  filling  space  no  larger  than  a  span. 
He  is  himself  this  very  universe; 
He  is  what  ever  is,  has  been,  and  shall  be. 
He  is  the  Lord  of  immortality. 

All  creatures  are  one  fourth  of  hira,  three  fourths 
Are  that  which  is  immortal  in  the  sky* 
From  him,  called  Purusha  was  born  Virya. 
And  from  Yirya  was  Purusha  produced. 
Whom  Gods  anc  holy  men  made  their  oblation 
With  Purusha  as  victim  they  performed 
A  sacrifice,   v/hen  tv^ey  divided  him 
How  did  they  cut  him  up?  What  was  his  mouth 
What  were  his  arms.   And  what  were  his  thighs  aild  f  eef 
The  Brahaman  was  his  mouth,  the  kingly  soldier 
Was  made  his  arms,  the  husbandman  his  thighs 
The  s^vile  Shu^ra  issued  from  his  feet»* 

ThePurusha  as  we  are  told  was  the  embodiment  of  the 
universe.   This  nysiic  description  does  tell  us  beyond  a  doubt 
that  there  arose  at  this  time  a  four  fold  classification 
of  the  Aryan  people.   Those  Brahamans  who  took  to  prayer, 
sacrifices,  education  and  philosophical   speculations 


^( 


ifX 


naturally  become  the  mouth  of  the  body  social.   It  was  throug|J 
these  Brahamans  that  the  social  la^s,  customs,  aspirations^ 
ideals,  etc*,  received  expression. 

Those  who  took  to  a  >¥ar-like  career  were  compared 
to  the  arms  of  the  body  social,  while  those  who  took  to 
Agriculture,  trade,  and  other  crafts,  formed  the  thi^^hs  of 
this  body  social.   All  the  conquered  Aborigonies  of  India 
were  reduced  to  servitude,  and  hence  compared  to  the  feet 
of  the  body  social.   The  sacrifice  that  was  performed  is 
a  very  m-^gnif  icient  poetic  idea.   The  human  career  in 
this  worJ^d  of  action  is  indeed  a  great  sacrifice.   Into  this 
sacrifice  just  as  individual  offers  the  obl^ition  of  all 
his  energies  and  intelligence^  finally  ending  his  life,  so 
does  the  body  social  embodying  all  the  four  classes  into 
which  the  );uman  race  (according  to  the  Indo-Aryans)  was 
divided,  sacrifices  itself  by  discharging  the  alloted  duties 
respectively,  toward  the  good  of  the  whole  and  ultimately 
succumbs  to  the  will  of  the  providence.   This  is  the  Psychologic^, 
explanation  of  the  Purusha  ifymn  when  we  tear  off  the  figurative 
and  i^ystical  veil  in  whicn  it  is  expressed. 

The  institutes  of  Manu,  however,  accepting  the 
doctrine  of  the  Purusha  hymns  as  the  foundation  of  his  creed, 
states  that  **tln  the  beginning  of  things,  the  pan«theos  (Purusha) 
produced  by  effort  of  thought,  a  golden  egg;  from  which  he  him- 
self  was  born  as  Brahma,  the  creator  of  the  universe." 


"fS 


Then  for  the  sake  of  the  prosperity  of  the  worlds, 

he  created  the  Brahaman  (Priests)  to  proceed  from  his  mouth. 

The  lis  hat  riy  a  (Warrior)  from  his  arms;  the  Vaishya  (trader) 

from  his  thighs;  and  the  Shudra  (Servant)  from  his  feet. 

(Manu  1->51) 

The  world  wide  tradition  of  the  creation  of  the 
universe  from  the  golden  eg^  is  preserved  in  the  •Brahamanas  of 
one  hundred  paths".   This  is  a  tradition  known  not  only  in 
India  in  the  early  times,  but  also  among  the  Greeks.   Gompers, 
in  his  "Greek  thinkers**  traces  the  origin  of  the  ideas 
to  the  primitive  thought  that  **a8  the  heavens  are  rounded 
like  an  egg  there  must  have  been  an  egg  in  the  oeginning; 
this  egg  burst  asunder;  the  uppev  part  to  form  the  heavensi,  whe 
lower  to  form  the  earth.   In  ^reece  in  the  sixth  century  B.C., 
this  idea  appears  in  Orphic  Theogan;>'  under  the  idea  of  the  mun- 
dane egg.   At  about  the  eame  period  of  time  when  the  stoiy  of 
creation  was  told  in  Greece,  it  was  also  told  in  Indin 
Brahamana  (Commentaries  on  Vedas). 

Thus  the  **mystic  theory  of  the  origin  of  caste  ^stem** 
plainly  siows  that  the  theories  of  creation  that  ^ere  believed 
in  those  early  days,  almost  all  over  the  world,  had  their 
influence  on  the  minds  of  the  intelligent  peoples  of  the 
community  and  they  attempted  to  work  out  a  soial  organization 
program  according  to  their  own  ideas,  prejudices  and  the  interest 
of  the  Aryan  people  at  large  over  4h^  against  the  dark  skinned 
Aboriganies,  and  cleverly  explained  their  program  in  terms 


ft 

of   the  theory  of  creation.   Thus  found  sanction,  for  their 

plan  of  social  organization  in  the  divine  principle  of  creAion  • 

This  need  not  be  considered  as  any  selfish  or  tricky  attempt 

on  the  part  of  the  intellectuals  of  the  time.   Every  new  plan   A**-^ 

as  a  rule  has  to  be  e^lained,  to  the  people  at  large  in  terms 

of  ideas,  principles  ^nd  beliefs  current  at  the  time,  to  obtain 

universal  acceptance  and  thus  materialize  the  program. 

Besides  the  program  divided  the  population  into  four 
groups  and  thus  worked  out  a  compact  society  in  which  there 
was  not  to   be  any  unwholesome  competition  and  resulting 
jealousies,  in  which  proper  ranking  whs  to  be  done  in  terms 
of  qualifications;  intelligence  being  places  on  top  of  all, 
as  it  ought  to  be,,  physical  power  next  since  it  is  a  part  and 
parcel  of  human  nature,  wealth  which  is  a  man  made  power  comes 
next,  and  then  unskilled,  purely  physical  labor  in  the  form 
of  service  last  of  all,  being  inferior  to  the  abowe  three.   Thua 
the  plan,  in  its  prominent  out-look  appeared  to  aT?  ceal  to  the  people 
at  large,  when  exil^jiined   in  terms  of  body  social  and  its  four 
main  parts,  the  mouth,  the  arms,  the  thighs,  and  the  feet. 
There  is  no  mystery  about  it;  it  is  indeed  a  biii^  conoeT>tion  of 
society  at  lar^e  as  a  single  body  and  the  several  functional 
members  formed  into  groups  serving  the  body  social  in  their 
own  respective  ways  and  capacities.  But  while  explaining  this 
"nystic  theory**  it  should  not  be  forg<?tten  that  the  comrarison 
of  the  four  castes  to  the  four  parts  of  the  body,  brought  with 
it  the  sense  of  superiority  and  inferiority  and  pride  of  birth 
and  such  other  anti-social  elem-nts.   It  is  due  to  these  that 


f^ 


caste  system  defeated  the  uniTersal  spirit  of  Hinduism* 

Also  it  is  worth  to  note  here   that,  the  Hindu  theory 
of  caste  is  so  similnr  to  the  division  of  society  into  four 
classes:   priests,  warriors,  cultivators,  and  artisans  •  which 
appears  in  the  sacerdotal  literature  of  ancient  Persia.   It 
is  not  sug  ested  that  the  Iranian  legend  of  four  cl*3.33es 
formed  part  of  the  stock  of  tradition  which  the  Aryans  brought 
with  them  into  India.   Had  this  been  so  the  myth   relating  to 
their  origin  wauld  have  figured  prominently  in  the  Yedas 
and  would  not  have  appeared  solely  in  the  Purusha  Sukta  which 
most  ifiuropean  critics  agree  in  regarding  as  a  later 
interpolation.  ^-'^   '^ 


Reference 

Spiegal,  liraniB'<'he  Alterthumskunde  111  547-670 


Although  the  Aryan  people  settled  in  Persia  and 
India  there  are  some  differences  between  the  situations 
that  these  two  groups  faced.   That  is  why  one  group  devel- 
oped a  rigid  caste  system  while  the  other  still  has  a  fluid 
social  organiz  tion.   India  had  a  large  aboriganal  populntion 
differing  from  the  Indo-Aryans  in  respect  of  religion,  usages 
and  physical  tyue  and  more  especially  in  the  conspicuous 
attribute  of  color;  while  Persia  did  not  have  such.   These 
aborigonies  had  8om«  how  to  i e  brought  within  the  limits 
of  the  scheme  and  this  was  done  by  the  simple  process  of 
lumping  them  together  in  servile  class  of  Shudras,  which 


is  sharply  distinguished  from  the  twice^born  groups  (the 
first  three  castes)  and  has  a  far  lower  status  than  is 
assigned  to  the  artisans  in  the  Persian  system.   Thus  the 
four  Varnas  (Colors)  of  Indian  caste  system  occupy  an 
intermediate  position  between  the  purely  occupational  classes 
of  Persia  and  Kgypt,  and  the  rigidly  defined  castes  of  modern 
India.   In  the  Persian  system  only  the  highest  group  of  the 
Atl:^avan8  or  priests  was  endogaraous,  while  between  the  other 
three  groups,  as  between  all  the  groups  of  the  Egyptian  system 
(excluding  the  swine  herds  if  we  follow  Herodotus).  No 
restrictions  on  intermarriage  appear  to  have  been  recognized. 
Moreover,  the  distinction  between  the  twiceborn  and  the 
Shudras  and  the  prominence  given  to  color  (Varna)  implies 
that  Hindu  caste  system  originally  rested  upon  the  basis 
of  racial  antagonism  of  which  there  is  no  trace  in  Persia 
or  iigypt. 


¥7. 

00X0^  ^^^  '^^:         :     of   ga35!E. 

Is  it  possible  tli-3t  the  Hindu  castes  hud 
their  origin  in  tiie  colour  distinction?  Did  sereral 
tribea  of  peoples  of  differ«»nt  complexion  enter  India 
from  different  directions,  come  in  contact  with  one 
another,  fight  wfirs  and  settle  doi^'n  -^is  a  community, 
each  one  taking  up  a  profession  which  he  v^as  ible  to 
follow  and  'nnlntain  in  the  struggle  for  existence. 
This  Tias,  ofcouree,  caite  likely*  'uhen   people,  es- 
pecially immigrants  of  different  colors,  get  together, 
it  is  invariably  found  that  the  higher  orofession  of 
a  community  are  taken  up  and  monopolized  by  those  \n'ho 
are  superior  physically  or  intellectually.  Others 
who  possess  capacities  of  a  lower  sort  tend  to  sub- 
mit and  fall  back  to  do  a  louver  kind  of  service  to 
society,  merely  earn  a  liTing,  and  tuns  survive  the 
test  of  cruel  nature* 

!?hus  it  is,  that  according  to  the  vitality, 
intelligence,  natural  incl  ^  ^  ""^     -d  i  aoh  other 
possessions  of  mankind  that  these  tribes  of  immig;rants 
must  have  taken  to  different  rr of ess  ions.  Also  the 
color  affinity.  Inviting  -.   n  t-ar'  1  groapin^i  of  the 
different  immigrants  into  different  walks  of  life, 
and  monopolizing  those  for  their  OTwn  kind, must  h  ve 


¥r 


taken  place.  For  example  there  ie  the  case  of  the 
Brahamans  and  the  Rajannya  (warrior).  The  %^o   must 
hsve  sustained  severe  fighting  airong  themselves,  the 
first  trying  to  establish  their  intellectual  supremaoy 
over  the  second,  ^nt   the  latter  attempting;  to  dominate 
by  their  physical  saperiority.   After  a  season  they 
carr;e  to  some  under  standing,  and  became  the  overlords 
of  the  population,  one  taking  charge  of  the  material 
welfare  ^^in^    rrctection  of  the  cominunity,  and  the  other 
educating,  guiding  and  superintending;  the  moral  life 
of  the  people.   Others  vho  did  not  possess  in  common 
with  these  xjeople  those  ouallties  enumerated  above, 
submitted  to  the  will  of  these  t^o  groups,  and  agreed 
to  engage  In  manuaj  ia}~or  for  the  service  and  pros- 
perity of  the  people  as  a  ^hole.  In  this  way  they 
must  have  gotten  into  an  organized  body  called  society 
(Varna  Vyavsstha). 

The  word  Tarna  means  color  or  complexion. 
The  color  of  these  four  groups  of  people  being  different 
from  one  another,  the  term  ChattirvMrna  Yyavastha  (the 
four  color  organizationi^}  came  into  use. 

The  above  idea  finds  sup  ort  in  the  Vedio 
literature( the  Eigveda  excepted)  and  in  other  sacred 
literature,  such  ^iS  the  iihraties  and  the  iimrities. 


*tv 


In  the  first  place,  the  term  Varna  suggests 
the  meaning,  oolor. 

In  the  second  place,  in  the  desaoription  of 
the  ancient  works,  auoh  a&  the  Itehabhar'ita,  there 
are  ruferenoes  to  the  eeveral  colors  of  the  people. 

In  the  third  place,  the  rellgioas  scriptures, 
while  enjoining  certain  rules  ^ind  forras,  prescribed, 
according  to  the  respective  complexion  of 'each,  the 
three  different  colors  of  clothes  that  vere  to  be  vvorn 

by  the  Br ah-J^maa cha r i e a  (disciples)  yRtiQn   they  went  to 

the  house  of  their  Guru  for  instruction.   A  Brah^man's 
son  was  told  to  wear  p^ain  i^hite  garments  in  keeping 
with  his  fair  complexion.  Red  garments  v^ere  prescrib- 
ed for  the  son  of  a  Kehatriya  in  keeping  with  his  red 
oomplexion.  Yellow  colored  garments  were  prescribed 
for  the  son  of  a  Vaishya  who  was  of  yellowKcomplexion. 
Since  there  was  no  provision  made  for  the  education  of 
a  ^hudra,  there  wat  no  rule  laid  down  for  his  garments. 
However,  since  ancient  times  up  to  today,  a  i^hudra  has 
worn  black  rags  known  as  Kanbal  in  keeping  with  his 
dark  complexion 

Thus  in  this  way  the  white,  the  red,  the 
yellow  and  the  dark  complexioned  peoples  having  come 
together,  mufct  have  settled  themselves  in  a  community 
form.  The  oeople  of  the  first  three  colors  came  from 


J¥- 


oat  of  India,  ancl  those  of  i-^a.   dark  color  irere  ncttiTes 
of  tiie  land.   If  tiie  above  idea  is  tenable,  tJien  i  ome 
explanation  of  iaovv  the  element  of  heredity-  entered  tiie 
caste  eye tern  oould  be  revealed.  Moreover,  this  would 
throw  some  mentionable  light  on  facts  sach  as  the 
difference  of  features,  the  difference  of  complexion 
and  difference  of  temperament  as  they  are  found  to 
exist  even  today  among  tne  reopleB  of  India. 

In  the  fourth  place  how  did  the  peo  le  of  these 
four  castes  multiply  and  increase  in  number?   Inter- 
marriage i?as  and  is  not  allowed  among  the  four  castes 
or  four  color  groups.   She  religious  scriptures  point 
out  a  strong  disapproval  of  a  male  of  a  higher  caste 
or  higher  complexion  group  marrying  a  female  of  a  lower 
group.   By  so  doing,  he  loses  hie  standing,  vithin  his 
group.  His  progeny  would  not  belong  either  to  the  group 
of  the  father  or  to  that  of  the  mother.  The  offspring 
would  be  regarded  inferior  to  the  caste  of  the  father 
but  superior  to  that  of  the  mother.  An  intermediate 
position  vtould  be  allotted  to  these  hybrids,  thus 
forming  a  new  caste.   A  man  of  a  lower  caste  was  not 
allowed  to  marry  a  Aoman  of  a  higher  caste.  Moreover, 
the  progeny  of  such  a  mixed  parentage  was  not  allowed 
to  follow  the  profession  of  Its  father.   The  chief  sub- 
castes  that  are  found  in  India  are  the  results  of  such 
intermarriages.  All  the  vvorks  Of  the  "Shrtitis"  and 


o  ^. 


"Smrites"   and    other  sacred   literature  give  evidence   of 
tills  fittastl^n.      Jilanii,    tiie   ^reat  Hindu   lH\^'-.-iLver, 
speaks   of  hevent;*  tvio  castes   formed   by  the    inter- 
mixtare    of  the   oastee,    and   lays  dov^n,    thereby,    the  name 
for  each  kind   of  mixture.      This  hybric!    po]  alatian 
necessitated  the  need   of  a  division   of  labor*      Its 
different  members  had   to  be   sai^lied  with  eorne   life  vsork* 
This  could   not  be   done  merely  by   increasing  the  number 
of  trades,    but  had   to  be  done   by   limit inj^  the   sphere 
of  vocation  of  the   four  castes.     (Thus   the  vocations 
taken   out   of  the  hands   of  each   one   of   the   four   original 
classes,    plus  the  vocations  created  by  the  new  wants 
of  the    increasing   population^ were  taken   over  by  the 
hybrid   claeses.      This  explains  the  reason  Thy  cort    in 
professions  received  ranks,    and  why  some  professions 
were  regarded  as  honourable   and   others   low.     Thoses 
followed  by  the  hybrid   element   of  the  populat^.x   v.^e 
re^L^rded   as   of  lower  rank;  and  those  followed   by  oeocle 
of  pure   descent  and   blood   were  regarded  as   respectable. 

According  to  this  discussion  the  Hindu  caste 
system  is  not    based   on  an  econor^.lc   foundation.      It 
seems  to  have   originated   from  the   intermarriages    of  the 
four  pure   stocks   of  four  different  colors. 

Parity  of    blood       hich  is  not  observed   in  the 
strictest  fciense   in  \in^  other   society   of  the  world,    is 


found   to  exist   at   least   in  tiis   tiioagJit  and  oaltare   of 
the  Hindu  people,   and   it    is   so   observed   even  today. 
This   is   the   ciiier  cause   of  the   strict  nmrrta^e  lai?8 
of  the  Hindu  cDiimanities.      Inter-dining  gradually  tends 
to  cause  and    induce    intermarriages   on  account   of 
occasional  gooiai  intercourse.      Therefore,    the  latter 
was  also  T)rohibit8d    in   order   to  stop   the   ever^increasi  ng 
hybridisation.     Like  measures  regarding   inter-dinin^ 
^ere  never  taken   by  any  other  people   of  the  iivorld,   and 
are  not   found   any  %here   outside    of  India   even  today. 

In  the   fifth  place,    these  hybrid   elements 
in  society  were  not  taken  proper  care   of.      This  was 
due  to  the   principle   of  heredity  'xocepted  and  preached 
literally  -  n6i  dogmatically  by  the  Hindu  psyoholo^isti:. 
Having  followed  a  certain  profession  for   several  genera- 
tions,   it  was   believed  that   an   individual  was  capable 
and    fit   for  that   particular  profession  n.ore   than  for 
any  other.     Thus  hio   birth  ot  heredity  decided  his 
job    in  life.     That   the  capacity  of  functioning   in  a 
p^.srtioular  VH.y  w^ib'   transmitted   through  blood   relation- 
ship,  vtiia   another   belief   of  the  Hindu  psychology. 

If  there    v.ere   two  boys  born   of   one  father, 
one  through  mating  vvith  a  woman   of  his   own  caste,    and 
the   other  tiiroagh  mating  iwith  a  voman   of   lover   caste, 
only  the   former  was  suproeed   to  have    inherited  all  the 


'-  i 


oaalities   of  iili-   oaste.     iie  was   trained   for  the    'profession 
of  hie   f.'ither   and   vv-;'   properly  taken  care   of.      3at   tne 
seoond  boy  v»as  not  sappoBed   not  to  have   inherited  the 
tendencies  and   oapacitle&   of  his   f-^tner*     Tnsrefore^ 
nie  edacatlDn  v^as  neglected,   and   as  a   eonseouencc  he 
had   to  resort  to  the  nev'»ly  created    or  of  ess  ions  of     the 
hybrid   popalation.     Even  if   this   same    boy  did    show  the 
qualities   of  his    fitiisr,   he  was  not  accorded    the    o^tte 
or   the  profession   of  the    latter  because   there  ^ae   no 
surety  of  what  kind    of   oaalities  would   be  born  to  his 
progeny,      (l)   For   ini^tance    '^idar,    the   great    intellectual 
figure   in   the   epic   of  the  Kahabharata,   v.'as   born  of 
Vyasa  and  a  TROinan  of  the  Kshyratrfya  caste.     He  dis- 
*''l-:yed  the    raialities    of  hit  f';ther   \ioX   did   not   receive 
his   status,   althougjh  he   took  to  a  profession  similar 
to  that  of  his  father.    (2)   Vishivamitra  was  a  Kshatriya 
by  birth  but  dlsolayed   Srahair.anic   qualities.      (3)      Para- 
shuram  was  a   3rsiiainan  by  birth   but  displayed   the  natare 
of  a  Kshatriya.     Many  such   stories   are   to  be   found,    and 
the   storivK.    ^-     u....;:^e  ,"-•"*"  figures  relating  to  their 
birth  ^md   life  are  told    in   the  Mahabharata   in   order  to 
expose  this  very     oint   of  contention. 

Moreover,   aiLon5  tne  nunierous  references  that 
can   be   foun'.     in  the   vast   epic   literature    of    India, 
\ivhere   tne   character  sketches   of   the   several   sons   of  a 
king,    born   of  different  wives,    are   given,    one   can  very 


■O  Vf 


i^ell  notice   tii:  t   th*      '^^"^or   of   tiie   same   sketciies, 
attributes   oaalities  ana   propensities  to  these  sons 
on  tiie  assumed  theory  of  mental   inheritance*     i'or 
example  there  are  the  character   sketches   of  :.ama, 
LaTiaan,    ^harata  and  Shatrughna  the  four  eons  of  JDas- 
haratha   in  the  ©Die   of  Ramayana.     Ofcoarse,    being  sons 
of  a  kin^  they  were   not  reouired   to  follow  different 
professions,    bnt   the    dualities  spoken  of  as  displayed 
and   posse^ssed   by  thete   four   princes,    tell  the   same 
old    story    of  heredity. 

In  the  sixth  place,   we   find  aiitii^rity  for 
the  colour  theory  of  caste   even  in  the  Upanishads,  which 
are  tne   great  and  learned  oomnentaries   on  the  four 
sacred  Vedae,    and  which  also  embody  the  highest   phi* 
losophioal   sreculationt    of  the  ancient   Indian  sages. 
For   instance   in   the   Ghando^ya  Upanjshada   there   Is  an 
account  of  the  creation  of  the  v?orld.     Therein  we  are 
told  ho^    3 11  the  differencee    in  things  have   arisen   out 
of  the  three   original  colors,   iffhite,   red  and   black. 
Ho?<   one    is   superior  to   another   in    'uality   is  also 
described,     i^eople   of  yellow  complexion  ^ere   few  in  the 
beginning  and    seem  to  have   \iQ^n  absorbed  among  the 
blaclcE.     Later   coming-   under  the    common  designation   of 
Pra ja   (coiamon  people),    they  vsere   counted   among   the 
dark  complexloned   section   of  the   population. 


33t 


fain  throaj^hout  the  Upani shade  ^^nd  in  the 
Hindu  philosophy  st  large,  the  tiieory  of  the  tnree 
oiirdinal  oaallties,  virtue,  passion  and  ig^norance, 
is  expoundei^  as  the  three  main  elements  of  natare  ^*hich, 
7^h.6n   conbined  in  different  pr  op  ort  i  onij ,  take  the  form 
which  is  known  as  the  viorld.   The  \'vords  which  are 
ased  to  design  ;te  tneae  three  elements  of  ifature,  v^hon 
taken  in  their  literal  and  root  meaning  in  iaanskrit, 
denote  the  three  colors,  white,  red  and  black  resuectlve- 

Life  is  the  anoaaiified  common  possession  of  ill 
the  creation  bat  there  is  a  difference  in  the  natare 
and  behavior  of  all  things*   It  ia  evident  that  wnen  the 
three  Qualities  are  foond  mixed  in  different  proportions 
in  different  thin^ti  that  their  behavior  also  should 
be  neoesearily  diversified.  The  words  for  the  three 
main  complexions  eame  to  connote  the  three  fundamental 
qualities  in  nature.  This  tnrows  a  sidelight  in  what 
manner  the  science  and  nhilosophy  of  social  organization 
in  termtj  of  qualitative  ranking, must  have  taken  pi  ce 
according  to  the  colors  as  ti^e  first  distinguishing 
criteria,  vnd  wi^ ich  in  the  course  of  adjattment  oame 
to  be  synonymous  with  the  qualities  dis.olayed  by  the 
peoples  of  those  respective  colors.  This  may  have  been 
a  chance  coincidence,  yet  it  appears  to  be  true;  for 
the  white  Aryiin  were  more  intellectual,  passive  in 


i7W 


piiysloal  reactions,    cilm  minded,   dl^^nified     nd  ratjier 
averse  to  bodily  enjoyments,   wJien  compared    to  tnelr 
brotiiers,    tiie  Aryana   of  blooming  red  complexion,  v.ho 
wore  warlike,   desirous   to  rale,   5iven  to  bodily  pleasures, 
and  7;ho  vjcro   spirited  and   kindly  in  tiielr  attitude   as 
a  '.vJiole. 

The   Braiiamans  have   as  tlieir  diBtingaishin^ 
character istio,    the  possession  of  virtue   in  the  main. 

The  Ilshatriyaa  are  oh.'iraeterized   by  passion 
in   ita  general  sense,   that   is  people,   v.ho  -ire   on   the 
desire  level,   and  as  such  rejoice   in  obtaining  their 
desires   even  by  force. 

The  Shudras   of  black  complexion,    being  people 
descended  from  the   original  aborigines   of  India,  who  were 
without  any  civilization  ifchatsoever,   are  possessed   of 
darkness,    that   is,    of  ignorance. 

It   is   on  such  references  and    ideas  which 
are   found   broad   cast   in  the    ancient  and  medieval 
literature   of  India  that   the    tiieory  of  color  as  a 
basis   of  caste   in   India   could   be   based,      tt   should   be 
noticed  that   beliefs,    popularly  entertained  witnout 
ever  being  put  to  the  test   of  a  consistent,   psycholo- 
gical and   logical  explanation,   do  not  h'^ve    my  value 
from  a  scientific  point    of  view.      ::oiii!Don  prudence 


^f 


should  prevent  anyone  from  embracing  a  fad  without 
making  a  rational  inquiry  into  its  tru  character. 
Color,  from  eaperfioial  observation,  is  often  spoken 
of  as  the  basis  of  Hindu  caste.   But  for  our  psycholo- 
gical investigation,  the  references  in  the  literature 
of  the  land  do  give  us  a  sound  basis  of  the  theory, 
by  means  of  an  integrated  and  careful  exposition. 
Ofoourse,  more  investigations  and  intensive  researchs 
??hich  are  being  m^de  by  different  associations  of 
India^will  reveal  to  the  i^orld  the  chief  factors 
underlying  Hindu  caste,  the  soundness  and   psychological 
nature  of  which  rendered  it  durable  for  so  many  centuries 


^v 


Summary  of  tJtie  principles  accepted  by  the 
Hindu  sociologists^ 

!♦         The  qualities  und  nature  of  the  different 
groabfi  fVarna  color)  are  hereditary* 

£•         ^y   Intermarriage  between  the  castes,  or  by  the 
Inter-mixtare  of  colors^  subcastes  isere  created. 

3«         The  castes  created  by  intermarriage  led 

to  the  evolution  of  several  professions  v^iiich  the 
different  members  followed* 

4*         Such  blood  amslgamation  which  Increases  the 
hybrid  popuXaiioa,  cau&es  thd  multix^licatto  n 
of  professions,  produces  a  people  of  mixed  capa- 
cities, tendencies,  lifees  and  dislikes;  generates 
a  promiBcnotts  competition  in  life,  ^nd  vi^^ill 
result  in  n  unstable  social  organization;  and 
if  not  checked  in  time  will  cause  the  collapse 
of  the  laf^ei:*  J'or  this  sociological  reason, 
purity  of  blood  and  the  consequent  purity  of 
inherited  capacities  are  regarded  essential  and 
extremely  important  for  the  efficient  functioning 
of  the  social  organization* 


Theory  of  evolution  and  other  beliefs:- 

Ae  the  Indian  philosophy  and  religious  thought 
developed  and  expanded  to  first  gave  birth  to  the 
doctrine  of  action,  and  secondly  to  the  theory  of  the 
transmigration  of  souls •   The  latter  have  been  the 
two  cardinal  doctrines  of  the  Hindu  religion.  They 
are  enthusiastically  taught  in  the  Upanishada  ,  and 
are  afterwards  fully  developed  in  the  code  of  Manu. 

The  faith  of  the  Indian  people  for  nearly  two 
thousand  years  has  been  built  largely  upon  the  theory 
of  evolution.  This  theory  of  evolution  is  not  express- 
ed in  the  same  fashion  as  in  the  western  worl3,  but 
in  terms  of  lon^  po«*'»'ic  metaphors,  after  the  mystic 
fashion  of  explaining  things.  A  s.^ne  minded  and 
unprejudiced  approach  to  the  study  of  this  theory  will 
Biake  this  fact  clear. 
The  theory  runs  thus:- 

A  being  passes  through  8,400,000  lives. 
Those  creatures  through  v-hich  a  being  passes 
are  supposed  to  consist  of  2,300,000  qaudrupeds, 
900,000  acquatio  animals,  1,000,000  feathered 
creatures,  1,000,000  creeping  insects,  1,700,000 
immov&ble  forms,  such  as  trees  and  stones,  and 
through  1,400000  human  beings.  All  the  stages 
mark  a  gradual  development  of  the  being  which  oulmi- 


mlnates  into  the  iitman  form,   ^t  is  in  this 
hi^est  evoliitlDnary  type  that  final  emancipa- 
tion^.^ Interms  of  self  rea^lz^tii^nm^   bf  ^  gaJLjaed. 

This  is  a  brief  and  eimple  etatement  of  this 
fiindu  theory  of  evolution.   It,  ofooiiree,  was  purely 
based  on  the  keen  thinking  and  speculative  genius  of 
the  ancient  Indo-Aryans  v.'ho  ^^■e^e  so  ^»ell  knoiin  the 
world  over  for  their  marvelous  anticipatory  guesses. 
PByohol05ically  ST^eaking,  this  belief  ^ae  nothing  but 
an  attempt  to  conoaten- te  the  vast  creation,  so  diver- 
gent to  the  Luperficial  observltion,  ^ith  the' dim  ox^ 
presenting  to  the  rational  mind  a  synthetic  picture, 
and  thereby  revealing  to  it  the  legimate  position  it 
occutries  with  reference  to  other  forms.  Moreover,  such 
a  presentfition  of  the  cosmic  phenomena  as  a  integrated 
whole,  makes  an  understanding  of  it  and  a  sharing  in  it, 
easy  and  r^ractioal.   The  figures  given,  need  not  be  pat 
to  the  test  of  scientific  scrutiny,  for  they  merely  show 
the  rough  proportion  in  which  it  was  sapposed  thut  the 
whole  creation  stands  dlBtrtbated.  Horeover,  it  is  a 
psychological  exr)erience  that  things  laid  down  in  de- 
finite language  h'lve  n  more  firm  effect  on  people  than 
when  given  in  indefinite  hesitating  .statements. 
Someone  h ts  humorously  said,  to  illULtrate  this  idea, 
that  it  is  better  to  tell  -t  definite  ind  nrecise  lie, 
than  to  tell  an  indefinite  nd  hesitating  truth. 


(T^ 


Tile  abOTe  belief  was  exceedingly  necessary  in 
those  timee  vijien   human  intelligence  h^id  already  started 
the  inquiry  regard In^j  the  fruit  of  action^  if  the 
fruit  were  limited  only  to  this  one  life,  then  an  indi- 
▼idaal  could  infringe  upon  the  manHnade  laws  of  this  life, 
and  indulge  in  all  sorts  of  vices,  immoralities  in  thought 
and  in  deed,  in  order  to  attain  the  worldly  comforts  and 
haopiness  in  general •  To   check  the  adrent  of  such  a  notion, 
which  is  inevitable  with  the  rank  and  file  of  a  poou- 
lation,  fear  for  and  obedience  to  the  institutions  of 
man  were  preached  and  extensively  discussed  in  the  litera- 
tar«  of  the  land.  The  Indo-Aryans  were  not  slow  to 
formulate,  simultaneouely,  their  theories  of  the  law 
of  Karma  and  the  transmigration  of  souls,  for  both  of 
these  are  mutually  co-exibtent  and  keep  a  proper  balance 
in  tho  influence  of  contending  ideas.  This  was  in  the 
age  when  signs  of  intellectual  scepticism  began  to  be 
seen  all  over  the  country.  With  the  increasing  popu- 
lation, the  inter-roixture  of  groups  began  to  take  place 
on  a  large  scale,  and  thinking  minds  began  to  challenge 
the  reasonability  of  the  caste  system,  ^ew  forms  of 
religion  took  birth,  new  creedt  and  social  organiza- 
tions were  worked  out.  Buddhism  took  its  birth  Jt  thie 
time  and  was  principally  fostered  by  the  then  extant 
chaotic  condition  of  the  caste  system.  The  chief  effort 
of  Buddhism  was  directed  toward  introducing  new  ideas 


a**  . 


'd^^Xt 


^'^-'}ai. 


{0^ 


and  prlnclpl€>8   in  the  life   of  tiie  people,   aad  toisard       / 
reTevilln<5  the  w«alr  and   anjai.:tlf lable  teaoiilngs  and         / 
oraotl868  endorsed   by  the  Onste  iryetom>   and   s mctlonY 
ed  by  the  script ares  and  Hindu  literntare.     Kven  the  I 
Hind  a  philosopher  8  hid  i-^orked   oat  hair  splitting  di»^ 
otts»ioa  on  all   issues  of  homan  life,   and  i^ere  almO&'t 
on   the  point   of   openly  ^ivin^j  up  the-   injunctions  of 
their  saored  books.     Buddhism  took  up  the  work  openly. 
Buddha ,  himself,   begL<im0  a  TadJLQal  _i«fc1l;»g.ftjnlst  of  HlA^aisa, 
or  tathex^^ftptcllloally  speaking,  to  Brah&maniem*     Bat 
in  the    Intellectual  warfare  that  vas  wa^jed   betterly,   <ind 
for  a  lon^  time,   the  ^aha^mduxa  c^iae   out  Tiotors.     ts 
a  jepnsequenae  they  or^aniaed  the  f ortif  loatlQh,  M 
religions  creeds  and   teachings  In  such  a  fashion, 
that  Boddhies  was  f^ps^piilled  to  leave  the  land  of  its 
birth  forever.     Thus  with  t-ome  few  modifioatiDns 
Brahamanism  fiind  the  caste  system  were  ?e«e8tablished« 
this  time  it  became  «*tro»ger  than  before  and  the  vistory 
brought  untolu   oredlt  f»nd  authority  to  the  Brahamins. 

Eeligious  vjiti^  social  Seoonstructlon:- 

Like  all  victories,   thi^  great  success  of 
Brahaoianisni  over  Buddhism,   strengthened  the  hold  of  the 
Brahamans  over  the  rest  of  the  popalation*     This  the 
great  Brahamun  champion,   Shankaracharya,   came   on  the 
scone  and  displayed  wonderful   organizing  capacity, 
Shankar   is   the   famous  exponent   of  the   Vedanta  philosophy. 


Btalu  ha 


^ 


•j-  a-e-s 


€^lSiQ 


ma: 


fe^ 


the   last  school  of  transcendental  philosophy  that  India 
produced.  His  works, especially  his  commenttirles  on  the 
'•Bhagvadglta"  and  his  other  "writings  on  the  social 
and  religious  life  of  man,   re  exceedingly  profound. 
These  have  lie  en  studied  very  intensively  and  v.ith  oniqae 
interest  by  the  great  German  scholars  at  the  Berlin, 
Leipzig  and  Heidelberg  universities. 

H   leas  this  "Sharikar",  the  intellectual  ^.iant 
of  India  of  the  fourth  century,  who  established  four  sacred 
monasteries  at  the  four  corners  of  India*  The  aim  and 
function  of  these  monasttcries  was  to  expound  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Vedanta  philosophy,  to  send  preachers 
all  over  the  country,  to  distribute  and  disseminate  the 
old  and  the  ne^  thoughts  and  ideas  amon^  the  people  at 
large,  and  to  guard  the  bulwark  of  JB(rahamanism  from 
attacks  of  any  outside  religious  creed  or  dogrna. 

These  monast^nriee  were  well  established  viith 
enough  financial  income  and  permanent  land  »r*»nts. 
The  latter  were  obtained  from  the  rulers  of  different 
provinces  v;ho  belonged  to  Brahamanisro.  Brahamanlsm 
at  this  time,  due  to  its  wide  sphere  of  administration, 
beaame  what  is  known  today  as  Hinduism. 

i>chools  were  established  all  over  the  country 
in  order  to  impart  education  to  the  members  of  the  three 


Ins*! 


^T 


oaates  according  to  their  vocational  needs.   The  main 
object  was  to  teaoh  the  rising  generation  the  important 
doctrines,  beliefs  ^nd  rales  of  oondaot  as  worked  out 
and  sunotioned  by  Hindaism. 

All  the  enthaslasm  that  could  be  oommanded 
was  utilized  and  displayed  at  this  period*  The  litera- 
ture produced  daring  this  period  of  Indian  hifctory  is 
voluminous.   Some  of  it  is  highly  intellectual,  force- 
ful, and  commands  a  genuine  respect  even  today  from 
highly  educated  scholars  all  over  ti.e  world • 

For   some  considerable  time  this  strict  and 
well  organized  rule  of  reli^^ion  progressed  very  nicely 
and  produced  Yory   v. onderful  results,   ^t  was  success- 
ful because  every  act  sanctioned  by  Hinduism  was  care- 
folly  provided  vith  a  lOgiical  and  phllotophioal  expla- 
nation.  This  was  done  vvith  two  motives,  one  to  equip  the 
priests  and  eduoators.who  were  the  guides  of  all  social 
and  religious  life  of  the  people,  ^!th  -  cogent  and 
rational  explanation  of  every  thing  they  taug^ht,  ind 
secondly,  to  f^ice  the  fault  finders, who  were  moL^tly 
foreigners  and  exponents  of  other  religions,  with  strong 
arguments. 

During  this  time,  when  the  Brahamans  were 
busy  at  their  reconstruction  program,  the  members  of 
other  castes  attended  to  their  respective  'duties,  took 


Ui  bn  1 


*^9 


£1  i'JAtJier  retiring  attltade  and  folloi?.ed  the  diotatee 
Of  tiie  BraJiamane , in  religions,  social,  educational  und 
spirltaal  mt^ttere.   TJius  wei/eee  that  the  theories  of  the 
tranamigratlon  of  soals  and  Karma  strongjly  established 
and  extensively  expounded.   This  naturally  led  to  a  period 
of  blind  faith.   This  is  v^hat  always  happens  ^fter  a 
stiff  struggle  of  any  kind.   Certain  people  be^sin  to 
predomin  te,   nd  the  masses  cease  thinking  for  them- 
selves v.hen  somebody  else  assumes  the  entire  responsi- 
bility to  do  it  for  them* 

The  stories  told  in  the  old  Puranlc  literature, 
be^an  to  find  popular  oirGulation.  Ihey   preached  the 
theory  of  mental  evolution,  showing  the  several  stages 
in  the  creation,  arr^inged  in  their  ord«r  of  merit  ranking; 
and  they  ased  it  in  two  different  ways.  I^iterally  it 
meant  a  very  rational  order  of  merit  ranking,  but  popu- 
larly, it  made  the  masses  believe  the  superiority  of  one 
caste  over  another.   This  was  a  hereditary  superiority 
which  determined  the  social  status  of  an  individual^ 
right  from  the  time  of  his  birth.   This  was  the  most 
absurd  and  anscientlfic  step  taken  by  the  social  or- 
ganizers.  The  theory  was  a  confused  combination  of 
biological  and  social  inheritance  ideas,   ^t  is  stated 
thus:- 

«» Among  the  existin5  things,  those  that  possess 


f^b 


life  are  higJier   in  rank."    (organic  creation 
over  the   inorganic ) . 

'^ Among  tiie   organic  creation  tjbio&e   tliat  possess 
reason  are   superior." 

**Amon5  the  animals  that  possess  reason,  man 
stands  on  a  higher  level." 

"And  among  the  humans »  one  who  is  an  intellec- 
tual, i.e.^i  Srahaman,  is  superior." 

"Among  the  ^rahamans,  those  that  are  learned; 
are  super ior#" 

"Among  the  learned,  those  ^^ho   possess  ripe 
Judgement  (wisdoml,  are  superior." 

"iUmong  the  wise,  those  who  are  practical, I.e. 
those  who  fonction,  are  superior." 

"And  among  those  who  are  Dractical,l.e.  those 
who  function,  those  ^ho  think  and  oontempltte 
over  Brahma .  the  eternal  principle  behind  the 
universe,  are  superior." 

These  vorees,  ^fihen  unfjerytood  literally,  lay 


:il   3Jit 


6^ 


^hese  ▼erses.v^Jieii  anderetood  literally, 
ley  down  exactly  i^iiat  modern  social  science  iiioald 
endorse.  TJie  trouble  arises  ^Jien  tiie  word  firaJiaman 
is  understood  to  mean  a  person  iviio  is  a  -^aiiainan 
by  the  mere  accident  of  birth,  whether  he  is  possess- 
ed of  the  attributes  of  hiB  class  or  not*  This  inter- 
pretation mixes  the  pure  biolOt^ical  and  psychological 
evolution  v^ith  the  social  evolution  of  mankind.  The 
word  Brahaman  becomes  synonymous  vith  the  word  intellec- 
tual in  its  "denotion",  and  once  this  is  accepted  in 
practice,  then  the  same  fallacy  is  extended  to  other 
oastes  anci  their  social  status  i6  determined  according- 
ly. 

It  was  the  white  oomploizion  that  led  to  the 
making  of  all  these  fallacies,   "hite  is  not  a  specific 
color  but  it  is  a  united  manifestation  of  all  the  colors. 
In  warm  countries  where  the  white  complexion  gradually 
tends  to  become  red,  brown  and  dark,  the  general  crav- 
ing for  a  fair  complexion  is  very  noticeable.   Also 
the  changes  of  white  to  red,  brown  and  dark  in  this 
particular  seauesce,  unconsciously  determine  in  like 
manner  their  order  of  merit. 

People  in  India  prefer  white  garments.  The 
latter  h&ve  come  to  be  a  sign  of  wealth,  greatness,  and 
dignity.   Highly  Intellectual  and  learned  i?r*ihamans  «re 


^5 


Invariably  eesn  wearing  plain, white  clothee*  In  most 
of  tlia  rellgioaa  oeremoiiies  and  eoclal  fnnotlans,  viiite 
18  regarded  Qlh   tne  most  ausplcioa^  of  the  oolors*  A 
saored  fire  le  charoteri&ed  with  a  white  flame*  ^8 
has  been  said  before,  the  n^imeo  of  the  three  esaln  ele* 
ments  of  natare  are  also,  white,  red,  and  dark  standing 
respect ively  for  Tirtae,  pa&eion  and  ignoranoe* 

In  this  way  the  theory  oame  to  be  understood 
as  thls:* 

After  having  gone  through  all  the  evolutionary 
stages  of  the  lower  forme  of  life,  the  being  dae  to  good 
oonflact  and  attitudes,  reoeives  birth  in  the  homan  family , 
However,  it  will  be  in  the  leiwest  oaete,  that  is, 
Oftong  those  haman  beings  who  are  on  the  lowest  plain 
of  mentality  and  behaviour*  Their  oomplexion  in  this 
stage  will  be  of  necessity  dark*  inen   after  living  a 
Tlrtuoas  life  and  serving  those  %ho  are  mentally  superior 
to  them;  and  thus  contracting  good  associations  and  Im* 
press! one  during  this  life,  they  obtain  In  the  next  life 
birth  in  the  higher  caste*  if  their  store  of  merit  be 
short  and  the  store  of  demerits  great,  they  descend  into 
lower  stages  of  organic  life,ond  so  goes  the  cycle  of 
the  world*  This  app:^es  to  all  the  castes*  ^rahamaae 
vhe  are  on  the  top  morally  and  intellectually,  if  they 
lead  a  life  sli>   enjoined  by  the  laws  of  their  caste. 


■  v:  \  -■*  5*  j:,-*.v       #  \3r,» 


:ii     r 


^7 


reoeXve  birtJi  c  BruiaamaxkB   again  and  again  «itli  superior 
mental  levels  ant  11  self  realization  la  attained*  9li« 
latter  18  the  same  ae  dalTation  of  intellectual  eman* 
olpation  froa   tlie  bondage  of  life  and  deatix« 

til  tills  «a8  originally  st^^rted  by  tiie  oolor 
distinction  and  tlie  saperiority  on  that  score  uliioh 
gradually  In  the  oourse  of  social  staballzation  beoase 
a  matter  of  faith  and  blind  following*  faith  in  the 
rebirth  theory  vas  os  much  intensified  by  the  moral  and 
intelleotaal  philosoohers  that  eren   the  cold  Intelleo* 
tnalistfi,  thoogh  scertical  in  the  beginning,  coold 
not  maintain  that  attltade  before  the  weighty  argumeAte 
of  the  philosophers,  roots  and  the  educators*  This  ^as 
the  effeot  of  anlting  faith  and  reason  which  made  th«& 
almost  insolnble* 

S«maiary« 

1*       %w  color  led  to  caste  distinct ions* 

S*       Beferenoes  in  the  sacred  llteratore  of  India 
sapport  this  theory* 

3«       Castes  become  endogamoas,  hovv  and  ^hy* 

4*       A*     oereiity  two  aiii»tott  oTen  In  the  time 

of  Mana* 
B#     How  they  oarr.e   Into  being* 
0*     She  treatment  offered  to  hybri       ,^>  a- 

Itttion* 


y^o 


6.   Principles  accepted  by  the   Hindu  eooiolo- 
^iate,  sommarized. 

6.   Evolation  theory  of  the  ^oranas  explained* 
its  attenrpt  to  reconcile  several  contending 
ideas  and  beliefs. 

?•   Advent  of  the  theory  of  transmigration  of 
souls  and  the  ■*^rma  a  theory. 

6«   Ocmflict  of  Buddhism  v.ith  Brahmanlsm  and  its 
effects* 

9«   Shankor icharya  becomes  the  master  of  the 
situation  and  orj^anizes  the  caste  system 
and  transforms  Brahmanism  into  Hinduism. 
Hinduism  is  a  federation  of  several  indepen- 
dents ohools  of  thou^^ht,  beliefs,  creeds 

10.   The  social  ladder  in  terms  of  mental  levels 
explained.   This  confounded  t*''^  biological 
and  snoial  stntuB  of  beings  nd  led  to  the 
creation  of  blinci  faith  and  taboos  o^  all  kind 


/r 


CHAPTEE  V> 
mS  SCOHOMIC  THEORY. 

Authority  for  this  theory  is  found  In  the 
diso ass ions  that  figure  so  extensively  in  the  Upan- 
ishadas.  #urin^  the  Upanishad  age  philosophioal  think- 
ing was  very  common  and  extensively  Indulged  in.   Phi- 
losophy el  often  in  keeping  with  extant  form  of  social 
llfe#  For  example,  today  in  this  age  of  material 
civilization,  our  philosophy  and  all  other  abstract 
sciences  express  their  investigations  and  truths  in 
terms  of  natural  sciences. 

All  these  social  institutions  of  today  are 
commended  or  critisized  in  li^ht  of  the  achievements 
and  approvals  of  science.   In  like  manner  in  the 
"Brihadarannyaka  Upanishada'*  two  kinds  of  creations  are 
discussed:- 

1.   Creation  of  humanity* 

E.  Oreation  of  function  or  duty. 
The  discuBsion  runs  in  this  form:- 

The  whole  world  was  created  out  of  the  un- 
qualified, eternal,  infinite  Brahma.   Originally  all 
was  Brahma  but  the  ^orld  could  not  get  along  with 
it  alone,  so  the  Brahma   (Collective  for  Brahamans  ) 


11^ 


I 


er^atvd  <mt  of  It  salt,     KaliAtrlyaa  (Warriors)  to  attend  to 
the  ne  da     of  order  and  preterit  ion  and  thas  leaTe  the 
Bx^taa  frae  to  follow  Invest igatlona  Into  the  cayatery  of 
the  creation.    Still  the  world  couia  not  get  along,  so  they 
created  the  Valshyas  (Agriculturists.)     froE  amongst  thesu 
ThAa  the  provision  for  subsl stance  was  effected  and  paople 
])lTed  In  peace  and  prosperity*   Bat  the  result  of  such  peace 
and  prosperity  was  that  the  human  needs  begflua  to  Increase* 
The  three  groups  were  able  to  admlnlstar  to  the  Intellectual 
aspilr^tlonal  and  physical  needs  but  could  not  t&ke  care  of 
the  selieral  material  functions  that  required  pure  physical 
and  mechanical  labor.      3o  they  created  the  Shudras. 

Up  to  this  stage,  the  creation  was  confined  to 
the  production  of  hniaan  beings,  varying  In  their  sental 
levels  and  capacities  and  as  such  Inclined  to  take  up 
functions  suited  to  the  different  neets  of  the  world. 

But  even  all  of  this  creation  did  not  h^lp  the 
world  to  get  along  eompletely  satisfactorily.  Than  the 
creation  of  duty  or  function  was  started.      Several 
functions  were  formulated  according  to  the  needs  of  the 
world.     Then  these  were  elasslf^sa     Into  groups  .These 
groups  were  four  In  number  and  exhaust  el  the  floli  of  all 
the  functions  that  wera  assentlal  for  the  saraoth  running 


^•Xb^ 


K->    f- 


n 


of  th«  world. 

Then  came  the  assignment  of  these  ftin<?tlon  grottpt 
To  the  grpape  of  human  beings  aeeotdlng  to  their  quail fleatloas 
ana  inclinations*  Thns  all  of  the  people  receive  1  work  to  ao. 
fhls  beacme  their  duty  toward  the  world*  Also  the  several 
needs  of  the  world  were  taken  care  of«  In  order  to  l|ware 
certainty  and  order  the  lron~rod  of  DahrsA  (eternal  law) 
was  created*  Srery  one  was  responsible  to  the  Bar  of  this 
eternal  law  In  the  form  of  duty,  Tory  strict  and  clearly 
deflhed  rvles  were  formulated  and  all  these  constituted 
the  Iron^rod  of  Dharma*  Brery  one  was  ccnnpelled  to  live 
within  the  precepts  of  this  rod*  Then  It  was  found  that 
sTsry  thing  vent  smoothly  and  well  • 

This  is  the  train  of  thought.  In  brief,  in  the 
discussions  of  this  Brlhadarannyika  Upanishada*  In  this 
their  social  organisation  program  Is  explained  not  on 
the  basis  of  birth  or  caste  but  It  is  worked  out  according 
to  the  economic  *eeds  of  the  world;  and  as  the  needs 
Increased,  the  nuraber  of  duties  1* e.  vocations  had  to 
be  Increased  and  this  led  to  the  four  divisions  of  the 
hunmn  family.   In  this  Upanlshada  the  word  (  Varna  )  "color'' 
Is  not  aoci*  ^Iso  there  Is  no  trea^oeat  of  'Jatls"  ♦••* 


/if 


birth  cAstes  ,  and  th«ir  analgWBation  ana  emit  1  plication 
etc*   The  whole  theme  is  eharaeterizetl  by  the  econoiTiic 
aspeet  of  the  world  ana  the  functional  administration 
it  the  spirit   of  the  whole  thought. 

On  the  basis  of  this  thou|^t,     in  the 
Upanishada^  several  referenceo  are  available  in  the     great 
•pic     of  Mahabharat  •      In  this  epic  while  disctissing  the 
social  evolution  it  was  said  that,  at  the  beginning  all 
were  Brahaoana  bat  in  the  course  of  long  ages,  according 
to  the  worldly  neids,     they  were  divided  into  Kshatriyas, 
Yaishyas  and  Jhndras  • 

It  is  curious  to  note  that,  in  spite  of  this 
•Gonomle  back  ground  of  the  Hindu  caste  syst^i  ,  though 
found  in  one  of  the  most  sacred  Upanishada  it  could  not 
gain  any  wide  and  strong  mcoeptance  in  the  Hindu  society. 
the  color  distinction  alon^  is  the  only  origin  universally 
accepted* 

However  the  authors  of  the  Puranaa  (   a  very 
eumberaoroe  literature  that  was  produced  to  formulate  new 
ideas  and  theories  and  ©ainly  to  reconelld     the  various 
traditional  belelfs  and  theories  that  wore  opposed  to 
one  another  and  as  stioh  unfavorable  to  the  social 
organisation*    ) 


\ -::?*• 


19' 


have  m&4e  use  of  this  l^#a  of  soelal  «Tolatlon     as  found 
la    th«  Opanlshada  i  ^J4f7^^ ,)   In  a  totaly  aiff«raiit  way. 
In  order  that   ,  thsre  may  nit  arisa  any  lnt«rzial  Qostra* 
diet  ions  erij^  thus  shaka  the  ball  of  s  of  the  people  the 
Purardkas  seem  to  haTa  frmsulated  the  thaory  of  four  ages. 

this  idea  of  four  ages  is  a  Tary  asoient  idea 
hut  Tery  little  is  known  about  its  origonal  fonn,  the 
pureanikas  c)M^«^  1^  ^^^  S^*^  1^  publicity  in  the  following 
fashion  •  This  thaory  is  to  a  great  e^ctent  i^at  is  known 
in  the  vrest  as  the  ]>ootrine  of    Kousaaav    •   The  naaes  of 
these  four  divisions  of  time  are:- 

1.    satya  (     TTIPT      ) 

Z.   Trata  (       ^^TcfT      ) 


3,   Dwapar(     ^/^/<^      ) 
4.  Kali  (       ^#     ) 

1^   3atya(   literally  means  truth*)  •   this  is  the 
truth  age  and  stands  at  the  beginning  of  all  the  other  ages. 
In  this  age  all  was  truth;  there  was  no  vioe  or  falsehood 
known.   All  was  perfeetly  natural.   Hana  nature  had  not 
eontr acted  or  ^^valved  any  thing  artificial  •  ^People  d*d 
not  doany thing    unjust  or  erilb  an<3  hence  their  was  no  need 
of  law  eourts.   There  were  no  kings  to  protect  the  people, 
for  all  were  good  an<^  no  protection  was  needed. 


,m: 


7^. 


Th«r«  was  no  dlstlnetlon     of  raiik  or  blrtli^ 
that  is  no  eaate  or  class  eonseloasness  exist ea  but  tSbl 
llvsd  In  man  to  man  ralatlonshlp.    It  was  tba  brotherhood 
of  man  In  the  true  sense  of  the  term«    Everyone  was  his  own 
law  aaker  and  abided  by  it^fben  set  in  the  Treta  age. 

E^Trata  -Yuga:      In  this  age  artificial  life 
appeared,    people  began  to  loolc  and  live  fifferently 
from  what  they  really  we^e.   Such  a  difference  led  to  a 
deviation  from  the  pore  and  aiiBpl#  natural  life* 
falsehood  ea&e  into  existance,   This  made  the  institution 
of  monarchy  nece8::ary«    But  the  kings  were  good  men  aaA 
the  population  as  a  whole  was  good,   TTlms  with  the 
establishment  of  manarchy  and  courts  etc,   the  few  m—n 
members  of  the  society  were  taken  care  of  and  all  went  on 
nicely  as  before.    Only  this  marked  the  fall  of  man 
from  his  real  nature, 

3,  Dwapar-Yuga  :     After  the  gradual  down  fall 
of  nan  the  human  rave  became  organized  into  aeperate 
groups  or  societies,    iSach  one  had  seperate  kings  and 
armies  and  all  such  agencies  of  order.     They  lived  pretty 
snoot h  and  vte^ous  life  within  their  own  connunities 
but  when  one  sc^iety  came  in  touch  with  another  they 
clashed  on  selfish  interests* 


n 


Th«y  fought  wars  «  mad«  eonqutsta,  and  did  not 
tak«  pleasure  In  11  f«  without  leading  arml<9s  at  least  onea 
In  a  graat  while  just  for  the  sake  of  cpoiitoslty     «ti«  fun. 
They  did  not  annex  any  thing  to  th#lr  own  posaosaloas 
but  theycare<5  to  bo  recognised  as  the  superior  power. 
Ambition  for  faioe  an^  name  was  all  that  the  ktngs  of  this 
ago  eare<?  for*    Otherwise  th«lr  usu&l  life  was  tenparata 
and  norfBal*   Thay  aid  not  fight  aroong  themselves  but 
malntaned  good  order  anf  justice  within  their  own  boundrles* 
The  societies  as  a  rule  beoai&a  vary  progressiva  in  tha 
modern  sense  of  the  term.   Thay  made  discoveries  and 
Inventions,   They  built  all  kinds  of  Institutions  to  meet 
the  huRSii  needs     .The  spirit  of  roirpetetlon  waa  eharactar- 
Istlcslly     fostered, 

4«   Kall»-Yuga  •(^uarral)     This  waa  the  fourth 
division  of  the  tlma,    An^  th1«  ««?#  1*^  still  In  ^ro^%B9 
We  are  llktnr    —  ^^^ -^   ' -«,   This  age  Is  characterized  as 
the  l^?r?j5t  aX  all       the  preceadlng  ages  In  all  respects: 
life  In  this  age  It  Is  prophaelsad^  will  be  most 
artificial  aisd  shallow.   Man  will  not  live  with  his  fellow 
beings  on  the  human    i^afio   ,  but  he  will  ba  crooked 
in  his  deal  unless  checked  by  the  strong  hand  of  law. 


m  mim-' 


»— »!•  Jk    <Mi  J  "^"'"-..Ts-fir*    -'       «?• 


!.i,^« 


■it     f#£' 


^is^ssr 


7?. 


All  lH«iglnabl6  kla«s  of  ^li«f?ks  tin  tli«  (^onAnet 
of  man  will  be  Institute^!.   ^Tr&th  will  be^^ome  a  rar^ity* 
Vlrtu«  will  axlBt  In  name  only.      GooA  la  the  obJectlTe 
senao  of  the  term  will  be  absent.   All  will  ba  relative  • 
Kot  only     large  groups  of  men  will  flg|it  one  another 
bat  the  world  will  be  aivldea  Into  InanHierable  nsall 
factions  &n^  gronps  and  wars  will  be(*oma  a  oosmon  thing 
of  life.     These  will  no  longer  be  objects  of  fear  and 
hatred  but  will  be  centers  of  great  interest.      All  the 
h^man  Intelligence  and  resottrces  will  be  spent  on  the 
injprov«Bent  of  the  science  of  war.   All  culture  will  c(»nw 
forward  to  aid  and  Jastijey  human  quarrel St 

Again  within  the  society  there  will  be  no  peaea* 
All  eosjpetetion  ,   Jealousy,  unjust  dealing  and  vice  will 
prevail.   Han  will  not  live  tn  man  to  man  relation    but 
suspicion  and  hat  wed    will  sapei^te  them  •    Immorality  of 
all  kinds  end  forms  will  flourish,   ^n  will  go  farther 
and  farther  from  the  right  knowledge  and  will  become 
matter  mad.   Body  will  take  the  place  of  mind  aa  Idol  takaa 
the  place  of  Gods.     This  will  be  the  culmination  of 
Ignorance  and  discontent^  individual  and  social  will  ruin 
the  world. 


..-f:#-    *^     % 


Itern-^^' 


#r««^  wmm  will  hm  fought  ana  In  that  way  tha 
hnmaM  r&ea  will  aestroy  itsalf  and  thus  close  this  aga» 
Thaa  again  the  cyel«     will  begin  to  revolve  ushering  In 
the  truth  aget     There  fore  thos-t  who  will  lead  virtuous 
lives  In  this  age  will  tak#  birth  In  ths     human  farally 
torlng  the  truth  age.       And  thus  the  ©yele  will  go  on. 

The  time  limit  of  each  one  of  these  four  ages 
Is  also  given  by  th«  Puranlltas  but  all  that  is  of  no 
educational  \alue#     This  shows  how  the  human  beings 
have  always  regarded  and  every  where  that  the     time 
before  thepi  was  better  and  the     time  that   Is  to  follow 
them  Is  sure  to  be  uhdeslreable.      Scientifically  this 
helelf  Is  not  borne  out  by  facts.   But  the  reach  *f 
science  In  social  and  thought  wirld  Is  not  yet  very 
coawlndog  •    from  the  bindings  a  scientist  drains  Inference 
absnt  the  mode  of  life  and  thought  of     people,      ^^hls  Is 
not  a  very  sound  method  •      Suppose  for  Instance  that  after 
a  thousand  years  when  all  the  things  that  we  now  consider 
graat  and  regard  as  s^bols  of  our  cl%lllzatlon  will  be 
destroyed  anii  when  due  to  sany  cosmic  ^nd  physical  uphesvals 
which  change  the  face  of  the  earth  so  radically  ,  our 
Bjonuraents  of  progress  and  Intelligence  will  shattered  to 
pieces  and  thrown  broadcast,  then  In  that  condition  of  things 


?• 


if  a  8f?l«fitl3t  of  that  r«Biot«  faturlty  w«r«  to  find  th« 
pi«e«8     of  ffioderm  machinery  aueh  as   ,  th«  phonograph, 
•Itctrle  lighting  systaiss  ,   or  pl«c«a  of  a  wlralaaa  89t^ 
i^at  will  ha  aay  ?     Will  ha  ha  aibla  to  prasant  any  raliabl<« 
plctsra  of  oat  tima  on  th«  basis  of  this  fragmantary 
aTidaaoa? 

All  that  ha  will  say  with  that  kind  of  fragmantary 
aTidanca  ta^an  ont   of  its  aattlng,  will  ba  as  good  a 
material  in  his  hands,   as  the  findings  of  our  scientists 
toAay  who  attaiapt  to  rea^^.  social  and  intalla<!»tiial     attain^ 
mants  of  oor  prehistoric  ancestory.     Kowevor  it  is  worth 
our  while  to  see  how  by  producing;  such  kind  of  literature 
and  dl fusing  it  broadcast  the  Hindu  Puranllu^  attesipted 
m  seeming  reconciliation     of  the  philosophical  ideai  of 
the  Vadic  and  post-  Vadic  times  and  succeeded     in  bringing 
•11  of  that  to  the  establiahment  of  fatilisis. 

All  the  long  ana  flgaratlTe  atoriea  that  filled 
the  Furanie  literature     ^llsplay  inffiiansa  capacity  of  the 
Furanikaa  In  advertising  their  work  ana  carrying  on  a 
litaraly  propaganda  not  to  over  throw  the  thoughts  of  the 
ancients  but  to  uaa  them  to  thMr     own  adTantage«     Ifo 
educator  of  to^ay,  who  wants  to  work  among  the  Hindus  can 
afford  to     connive  at  thla  fact*     he  must  understand 
the  teachings  of  this  voluminous  literature  and  tiMn 


mel  F:f 


if 


ecr«ftilly  sow  th«  soeas  of  his  n«w  eaucatloaal  pr^graa 
to  «radlf*at«  th«  blind  faith  eauaad  by  tha  aeconnta  of 
tlia  IStranaa  and  connect  tha  rcodarn  aspirant     dlractly 
with  the  unsalflsh,   cont«iplatlvt,     straight  thinking 
ancestor  of  his,     of  tha  Vadle  aga«   this  Is  tha  only 
way  In  which  tvary  Indian  can  get  tha  rich  harltaga  of 
his  ancestral  thought  which  h«  should  gat. 

Moreover  by  msklng  such  a  study  of  things. 
It  is  possible  to  lead  the  sodern  Indian  society  out 
of  the  chaos  ana  guard  it  from  blindly  falling  Into 
the  lElstakes  of  th^  western  clrlllzatlon*     7ha  aln  should 
be  to  offer  them     the  bast  that  the  wast  hai  to  glTs  aad 
also  to  make  available  to  theic  the  rich  heritage  cf  their 
glorious  past* 

l&ast   systei&s  as  it  exists  to  day  could  hot 
be  defended  It  Is  doomed  to  ruin  and  Is  fast  disinter- 
grating  but  without  ntx^  good  aubstltutst     Ihat  Is  tha 
Irony  of  fata  ,   The  old  four  fold  classification  of 
tha  hasian  race  ,  leaving  out  the  elements  of  pride     or 
prejudice  sense  of  superiority  or  Inferiority  could 
be  reinstated*     Tha  several  thoerles  of  it  origin  offer 
.     gre&t  ittformational  data  and  by  iftsing  our  modern  experiences 
and  thoughts  It  is  tfuite  possible  to  wox%  out  a  sound 


d^:i^(t-" 


^06i*1Pl? 


?^ 


and  fluid  program  of  slodal  r«co]i8trQetloiu     A  dlaeassloa 
of  tMs  is  xirosftnt^d  lat«r  on     while  making  •duc&tional 
m^astions.    Saaeationall^  it  is  of  interast  hara  to  nota 
tba  elaznants  that  lad  tha  Hindu  o&ata  s^^stiSQ  to  its 
prasant   corrupt  and  claganeratad  oondition*     Tha  aoeount 
and  infon&ation  aa  diaeussad  herain  is  not  found  in  aiqr 
historical  invastigation  but  tha  psyehologiacl  traatnant 
of  tha  thama    has  lad  to  tha  laying  bara  of  thasa  fav  faets 
of  i  star  est  and  import  asf^  at 

Tha  aeonooaic  b&sia  df  casta  syetasi  is  diseussad 
by  soma  guropaan  writ  are  but  that  is  done  puraly  on  tha 
assuinption  that  what  was  true  of  thair  social  aYolution 
must  haT4^  been  true  of  other  social  aTolutiona*      Bduoational 
apposition  of  casta  system  requires  all  the  internal 
aridenf^es.     Therefore  att'sropt  haft  been  cmda  in  the  preeee* 
ding  pages  to  present  what  the  ancient  Indo-  Aryans  thought 
with  regard  to  caste  systen  which  was  their  social     organi- 
sation program* 


mi^^m 


y^ 


Ca^PTEE 


PSYGHOLOaiCAL  FOUBDATIOH  OP  THE  CASTE  SYSTEM 

Tlie  caste  system  at  it  was  ori^in-illy  formu- 
lated by  the  remarkably  intellect aal  Indo-Aryans  was 
not  merely  a  program  of  m  idealist's  dream,  or,  like 
Plato's  Republic,  a  laliiloeopliioal  picture  of  an  ideal 
social  state,  or  tJie  "City  of  God"  of  Saint  Augustine, 
or  More's  "Utopia.   It  was  the  actual  v.orking  plans  of  a 
a  great  number  of  social  reforms  of  intense  vitality 
and  unbounded  enthusiasm.  Even  this  does  not  fully  in- 
dicate the  stren5th  of  the  system.   It  is  in  the  spirit 
of  the  age;  it  io  in  the  unquestioned  drift  of  events. 
So  unbounded  waiB  the  faith  of  the  Indo-  Aryans  in  the 
supreme  value  of  their  program  of  the  c^ate  system, 
that  to  attain  it  they  believed  any  price  was  not  too 
great  to  pay.   Their  whole  literature,  Ye4ic  and  pot;t 
Vedio,  of  all  sorts,  is  as  plain  an  evidence  of  this 
conviction  as  the  sun  is  the  evidence  of  the  day. 

Neither  is  it  proper  to  criticise  their  pro- 
gram because  it  wus  Utopian.   Too  many  Utopias  are  be- 
ing realized  in  this  marvelous  age  to  borrow  any  trouble 
on  that  account.   Mor  is  it  here  the  purpose  to  criti- 


r 


Slf- 


else  it  on  the  ground  that  the  ends  set  forth  v.ere  not, 
according  to  our  ideas  of  today,  the  supreme  ends  which 
society  should  try  to  realize,  or  were  they  the  things 
in  which  they  were  most  deficient.   Conceivably  it 
might  be  argued  that  there  never  was  a  time  in  the 
world's  history  v.hen  there  was  so  little  real  suffering 
from  want  of  the  necesi^lties  of  life,  nor  so  many  en- 
joyments and  comforts  by  every  class  in  the  community, 
nor  so  much  freedom  and  opportunity,  nor  so  little  in- 
temperance, nor  so  many  privileges,  opportunities  snd 
rights  for  women.   V  omen  vere  writers  of  the  Ved?is. 
Lilavati  was  the  greatest  mathematician  of  the  a^e. 
Women  Hire  Gargei  and  Maitreyi  and  others  figure  very 
hi^h  in  the  ancient  literature. 

It  might  perhaps  be  re   ironed   further  that 
while  we  are  still  deficient  in  those  things,  we  are 
vastly  more  deficient  in  no  leas  vital  or  still  more 
vital  things,  such  for  instance  as  art,  morals,  rational 
manners,  culture,  brotherhood, cooperation,  religion, 
temperance  in  the  sente  of  moderation,  thrift,  health, 
racial  integrity,  organized  intelligence,  rational 
system  of  education,  an  integrated  community  life, 
social  stability;  conservation  of  human  needs  and  an 
underijtanding  of  racial  values.   One  can  vvell  imagine 


,r:  ^  -V  r-^-^u^^.      r 


<<» 'T         *»  ■ 


^7 


that  the  whole  Drogram  of  social  reconfctr action  at  the 
present  time  v^ould  be  open  to  tucn  criticism,  were  one 
honest  enough  to  vievv  it  from  this  angle.   There  is  no 
program  of  social  construction  or  recont traction  that 
could  be  qaite  free  from  criticism.   Therefore  it  be- 
hooves us  to  sympathetically  consider  all  such  programs, 
especially  when  they  belong  to  a  remote  past* 

The  trouble  today  is,  that  all  the  plans  for 
social  orgonization  h^ve  been  v^orked  out  too  much  from 
the  political  and  economic  standpoints,  r^ather  than  from 
the  tisychologlcal  point  of  view.  We  are  living  in  an 
economic  and  political  age  aci  our  minds  are  obsessed 
by  economic  ^-nd  political  ide^s.  When  we  turn  to  study 
and  understand  the  programs  of  the  social  organization 
of  the  Ancients,  we  are  apt  to  interpret  them  only 
in  terms  of  economic  and  political  reactions.  We  are 
apt  to  neglect  the  human  motive  that  permeated  the 
plans  of  those  ancient  people. 

Ho  society  has  itny  Cii.ix^c  of  snceos^-t^  which 
is  not  planned  with  immediate  reference  to  the  material 
of  which  thnt  society  is  composed.   A  bridge  builder 
has  to  give  ouite  as  much  ttention  to  the  strength 
of  the  material,  as  he  hss  to  the  use  and  beauty  of  his 
structure.   Human  beings  are  the  material  of  our  sooial 
order.   In  short  one  cannot  ^ifford  to  disregard  the 


ye 


vital  and  all  important  peyciiolo^ical  factors.   It  is  dae 
to  these  that  the  mighty  bulwarks  of  all  soaial  organi- 
zations coald  survive  throughout  the  long  ages. 

Let  us  therefore  see  the  oure  and  straight- 
forward psychologic?il  motives  that  vvere  fundamental  to 
the  Aryan  oaste  system.   Let  us  for  a  ^hile  be  unpre- 
judiced by  after  effects  of  that  system  due  to  its  mal- 
administration 'nd  abuse  at  the  hands:  of  later  generations. 
Such  a  study  confined  only  to  the  psychologic'<l  impli- 
cations of  Caste  will  be  of  great  educational  value. 

All  will  be  unaminons  in  thf^t  no  two  human 

beings  are  alike  in  their  mentality.  Everyone  displays 

different  degrees  of  intelligence.   This  difference  is 

visible  in  their  ohysioal  behavior  which  is  so  divergent. 

The  mind  controlij  the  body  and  is  in  turn  J^usceotible 

to  the  influence  of  the  physical  tenses,   "xrom  the 
physical  forms,  movements,  meaningfttl  gestures,  con- 
versation, facial  excression,  changing  hues  due  to  the 
intensity  of  the  emotions  of  any  kind,"  soys  a  Hindu 

Psychologist , "we  read  the  minds  of  people  in  general," 

If  this  inference  regarding  the  mind  content  of  an 

individual  is  not  oorroberated  by  the  mental  expressions, 

it  is  given  up  as  a  superficial  estimate  and  is  not  given 

any  value  by  schol-irs.   But  if  the  desires,  pro,  ensities, 

aspirations,  ideas  of  good  and  evil,  ideals  of  life 

and  general  reactions  of  an  individual  to  the  physical 


as  well  as  to  tiie  social  stiLUli,  v,hicli  are  the  chief 
^avenues  of  mental  expression,  do  not  support  it,  then 
we  have  a  scientific  justi fioation  to  classify  peoples 
in  different  groaps  in  terms  of  their  mental  expressions 
and  physical  behavior.  There  might  be  an  ii  definite 
number  of  such  groups,  but  for  establishing  a  certain 
system,  they  may  be  reduced  to  as  few  as  poseilile  and 
those  the  essential  ones. 

The  Sociologists  h-'ve  this  problem  before  them 
of  organizing  their  society  on  some  such  basis  as  vsould 
do  justice  to  the  inborn  nature  of  man  plus  the  acquired 
capacities  throa^h  environment, as  well  as  administer  to 
the  several  needs  of  society  oy  proper  division  of  labor 
and  assigning  of  functions.   In  the  history  of  peonies 
we  see  several  plans  of  soci^  1  orgJini2.ation,  none  of 
them  free  from  fault.  Still  an  effort  is  made  to  ap- 
proximate the  justice,  v^hich  ofcourse  is  almost  invtri- 
ably  -.  ffiitter  of  relativity.   The  Hindu  Caste  system  is 
one  of  these  carefully  v?orked  out  plans,  though  -aot 
without  incongruities. 

Their  first  division  was,  as  is  always  the 
case,  tile  distinguishing  of  their  Aryan  stocic  frcan  all 
the  rest  of  the  human  race;  th^t  is,  Aryans  fro^  non 
Aryans.   Since  they  were  to  be  responsible  for  the 
proper  organization  of  their  own  people,  they  first 
divided  the  Aryan  community  into  three  distinct  groups. 


?t 


these  groups  were  arbitrarily  divided  but  were  not  quite 
so  hard  and  fast  as  they  gradna;Lly  tended  to  become. 
People  of  their  free  will  and  by  the  force  of  circum- 
stances had  already  taken  to  different  functions. 
These  functions  as  we  all  know  are  three:- 
!•   To  produce  the  means  of  existence  and  sustain  them 

for  the  maintenance  of  the  society. 
2.   To  protect  the  community  from  external  attacks  and 
exploitations,  and  to  re5Ulate  the  life  of  the 
members  of  society  in  order  to  avoid  and  check  the 
conflict  of  interests  within  the  i^ociety. 
3«   To  perpetuate  peace  and  prosperity  and  build  a 
dynamic  force  in  terms  of  philosophy  in  order  to 
generate  ideas  and  ideals;  to  give  meaning  to^  life 
and  functions,  and  to  rel^ite  thiis  life  with  some- 
thing in  the  hereafter  in  order  that  ^^^^^   on   the 
ground  of  hope  may  not  be  bewildered  by  the  inevit- 
able phenomenon  of  death  ind  separation. 

The  above  three  are  the  chief  reouirements 
of  '^ny  soc'  1  group  and  resolve  thom^o"?^'^-^  ^vntn  innu^-^er- 
able  subdivisions  of  function.  Now  to  attend  to  these, 
the  society  had  to  be  divided  into  three  main  divisions. 


n 


i'anction  is  apparently  the  cJiief  compelling  cause  of 

suoh  division  bat  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the 

Hlnda  Caste  system  did  not  assign  functions  for  their 

\/   own  sake,  but  according  to  natural  tencencies  and 

actual  behavior,  they  allowed  people  to  ohooee  their  work» 

"According  to  the  pos- 
session of  oualities  and  their  actual  expression  in 
action"  the  society  v^ae  divided  into  four  Varnas,  says 

the^'Bhagvadgita';    The  latter  is  the  recognised  iiible 
of  India  but  unlike  the  Sible  in  that,  this  sacred  work 
is  not  only  religious,  but  chiefly  philosophical  in  cha- 
racter. 

The  three  groups  known  in  the  English  Ian- 
as  Castes  ure:- 

1.     iiirahaman. 

£.     Kshatriya. 

3.   Vaishya. 
^he   functions  assigned  to  these  three  are  those  that  are 
cnamerated  before  ay  the  three  essential  functional 
requirements  of  society.  They  do  not  belong:  to  the 
threo  Castes  in  the  order  in  which  they  are  at  i ted  but 
in  the  reverse  order,  that  is,  the  first  Caste  IfSrahaman) 
undertakes  the  function  numbered  "three";  the  second 
Caste  follows  the  work  numbered  **two";  and  the  third 
Caste  take£  care  of  the  duties  enumerated   in  t^^^^P 
one.'  Having  thus  divided  the  important  functions  limong 


the  three   groups  of  the  Aryan  society,  tJie  problem  of 
tJie  Hon-Aryans  was  taken  ap« 

TJie  Hon-Aryans  were  of  Dravidlan  origin,  ex- 
tremely dark  in  complexion,  ugly  in  tiieir  makenp,  un- 
civilized A^nd  were  living  a  primitive  barb^irous  life. 
Katurally  the  Aryans,  like  any  other  human  bcJngs  of 
the  world  laboring  under  the  same  feeling  of  biologi- 
cal repugnance,  did  not  like  to  admit  them  to  a  place 
in  their  society  nd  simply  left  them  out  by  driving 
them  away  into  the  foretsts  and  mountain  regions.   We 
do  not  hear  of  four  castes  in  the  earlier  literature. 
The   Aryans  did  not,  however,  make  slaves^  of  these  abori- 
gines, as  many  peoples -have  done.   They  did  not  make 
themselves  blind  enough  to  believe  that  these  ugly, 
dark  people  did  not  come  under  the  category  of  human 
beings.   Though  their  aei^thetio  sense  and  narrow  vision, 
in  the  practical  sense  of  the  v. ord,  did  not  permit  them 
to  get  over  the  physical  prejudice,  they  dia  not  re- 
gard  them  as  animals.  As  they  became  stabalized  and 
f oun^  their  social  administration  more  or  less  in  a 
good  working  order,  they  did  not  wish  to  shut  out  the 
aborigines  from  their  social  plan.   They  wished  to 
ntilise  this  native  element  in  order  to  put  a  stop  to 
the  occa6ion.-vl  clashes,  fights  -J^nd  other  troubles  which 


<^t 


used  to  croo  out  botTneen  the  viJaites  and  tJie  blacks. 
B6ing  aesthetically  and  mentally  on  a  lower  level, 
they  were  given  the  lowest  rank  in  the  Hindu  social 
order.   Their  function  vias  to  discharge  all  the  menial 
services  for  the  upper  three  castes,  and  thus  maintain 
their  place  in  the  social  order  of  their  conoaerors. 
No  mentionable  rales  or  restrictions  were  laid  down  for 
the  guidance  of  these  people  who  were  designated  by  the 
term  Shadra(This  means  "Servitors.'*) 

Having  thus  seen  the  organization  of  the  first 
three  Castes  of  the  Aryans,  and  the  Incorcoration  later 
on  of  the  Aboriginies  into  the  social  system,  Tive  hive 
the  well  known  four-fold  division  of  Hindu  society. 
The  psychological  characteristics  that  distinguish  these 
four  groups  from  one  another  are  as  follows:- 

!•        The  most  fundamental  and  initial  level  on 
which  the  human  mind  is  found  is  that  of  mere  enjoy- 
ment (t>hudr  a)  ♦   All  the  activities  and  endeavours,  physi- 
oal  as  well  as  mental  of  an  individual  on  the  initial 
stage  are  confined  to  the  enjoyment  of  things  that 
exist  in  nature.   He  does  not  go  any  further  in  the  use 
of  his  brain  than  to  obtain  his  needs,  but  lives  simply 
n/  as  a  dependent  on  the  favor  of  nature,  ^e  is  at  the 
level,  commonly  c  illed  .  Barbarism.  He  lives  in  forests 


aoes  not  baild  u  house  to  live  In,  but  makes  use  of  the 
hollows  in  trees;  nor  does  he  anderstand  how  to  protect 
himself  from  the  attacks  of  harsh  nature  in  cold  or  in 
heat.   He  is  almost  on  the  animal  level,  but  is  capable 
of  being  improved.   He  needs  trainln^;  and  guidance  to 
evolve  the  latent  can: cities  of  man.   He  is  satisfied 
with  his  daily  bread  and  does  not  think  of  the  tomorrov?. 
Thus  by  accepting  his  services  of  a  manual  nature,  if 
he  could  be  fed  and  protected  from  nature,  he  ea£ily 
lives  a  satisfied  life.   In  short  people  displaying  the 
"eat,  drink  and  be  merry"  attitude,  and  people  who  are 
always  content  to  live  within  the  favors  of  nature,  be- 
long to  the  Shudra  Caste.   This  was  the  exact  stsxte, 
psychologically,  in  which  the  Aryan  conquerors  found  the 
primitive  aboriglnies  of  India. 

Moreover,  there  \Aere  other  races  that  entered 
iMdia  from  time  to  time  in  those  days  and  those  which 
mixed  with  the  Aborlginies,  displaying  the  same  tendencies. 
Since  they  chose  to  associate  with  rtiem,  they  were  class- 
ed with  the  natives  and  oame  under  the  common  name  of 
Shudra • 

2.        Above  this  Shudra  stage  we  find  a  higher  mental 
level  where  the  deoendence  on  the  gifts  of  nature  and  the 
cnrrying  of  her  favor  all  the  time,  is  not  acceptable. 
Man  learns  from  nature  by  the  dint  of  his  eoecial  powers 


10iiL\[ 


hi 


i    AfQ'i 


a«    fil 


'0 


how  to  conserve  nature's  gifts  to  meet  his  wants  of  to- 
morrow.   He  is  not  anymore  content  mlth  his  needs  of  to- 
day but  craves  to  store  the  me^ns  of  subsistence  for 
future  use.   He  evolves  the  ability  to  control  the  means 
of  his  subsistence  to  r)roduce  the  comforts  of  this  life 
and  sustain  them  by  artificial  devisee.   In  short  the 
storing  of  the  me^ns,  whether  obtained  from  nature,  or 
produced  by  art,  ch^r  cterises  this  mental  level. 
Here  the  man  is  not  content  with  the  s.^tisf  action  of  his 
needs  of  tod'ty,  nor  with  those  of  hit  own  individual 
self,  but  desiree  to  perpetuate  the  comforts  of  all 
kinds,  by  all  means,  for  himself,  und  his  fellow  beings. 
This  is  obviously  a  higher  sta^e  in  the  mental  and  eo- 
oial  evolution.   It  could  be  termed  an  organization 
level.   She  people  among  the  Aryans  who  displayed  such 
tendencies,  and  took  to  orgj^nized  activities,  such  as 
agriculture,  crafts  of  different  kinds,  comr:;eree,  -.nd 
fcJl  thuit  is  concerned  r  ith  the  production,  distribution, 
-ind  conservation  of  material  wealth,  came  to  be  called 
"Yaiahyas.** 

3«        The  possession  of  material  Drosperity  by 

means  of  production  and  'iccurnWl^ttion  does  not  give  full 

satisfaction  to  all  minds.   The  desire  to  control  such 

a  material  prosperity  ma  command  it,  rather  than  beg 

or  buy  it  ,  arises  in  certain  minds.   They  want  the  mastery 


of  saoii  materi  il  mealtJi,  by  dint  of  tiieir  regnal  j  ting 
prowess  in  arms.   Phyeioal  and  mental  i:trengtJi  dominates 
all  of  their  capacities  tnd  siicii  a  biological  richness 
of  physloae  tends  to  make  peoole  posseselig'  it,  desiroas 
of  rule  ind  fighting.   They  are  the  kind  of  people  who 
could  brtcome  kln^s  ^nd  soldiers^  Thej   conld  defend  society 
from  outside  att'>c''^s  and   dminieter  to  the  material  life 
of  the  ijeople  at  large.  ^   pov.erful  body,  indomitable 
courage  -^nd  v*lll  to  conquer,  take  the  place  of  wealth. 
They  do  not  want  to  bay  comfortL  -  ^   the  vealthy  merchants 
do,  but  like  to  command  thorn  in  ..  tead«   t'eople  displaying 
these  traits  in  varying  de^rce^:,  took  to  warrior  life, 
and  according  to  their  cap  cities  obtained  their  station 
in  life  isithin  the  limits  of  the  "Kshatriya"  Caste. 
A  class  with  duties  ranging  from  thOBe  of  a  king  to  the 
I....   of  the  average  soldier  in  the  army,  is  ouite 
essential  for  the  maintenence  of  every  social  organi- 
zation.  The  rights  of  tne  weak  are  to  be  defended  against 
the  aggress Ivenees  of  the  strong.   Law  and  justice 
cannot  be  administered  unless  there  is  back  of  them 
some  such  power  to  support  them  and  enforce  obedience. 
This  mental  s'ta^-e  could  be  styled  the  control  level. 

4.        The  social  evolution  theory  of  the  Indo-Aryans 
having  come  thus  far,  ushers  in  a  ybt^   rich  and  highly 


fj 


complex  level  of  mentality •   On  this  level  the  human 
mind  does  not  cr.ve  for  the  enjoyment  of  objects  like 
the  Shadras,  conservation  of  tne  means  of  comfort  like 
the  Vaiahy^s,  or  the  mistery  of  things  T/sorldly  and  the 
power  to  rule  the  lives  of  peooles.like  the  Kshatriyas; 
but  the  daisn  of  a  superior  intelligence,  highly  moral 
attitudes,  a  strict  and  disciplined  life  nnd  broad  per- 
spective, characterises  tj3ie  stage  of  the  social  order. 
Knowledge  is  everything  that  is  to  be  craved  for  by 
men  on  this  level.   It  is  the  tonowled^e  that  reveals 
the  pl'iCe  of  man  in  this  world 'and  ultimately  the  uni- 
verse.  Knowledge (Gnana)  means,  not  simply  abstract 
thinking  or  the  hiir  splitting  investigations  in  any 
field,  but  It  is  a  complex  combination  of  wnat  we  call 
theory  and  practise.   v>uch  cure  knovtledge  in  r<reference 
to  all  Physical  pleasures  is  the  only  thing  that  he  any 
fascination  or  attraction  for  oeople  on  the  understand- 

if.ej  level. 

« — 2 — « 

It  must  be  understood  that  all  other  Castes 
need  intelligence  to  discharge  the  duties  that  have  come 
to  their  share  respectively,  •'business  as  vee  know  in  our 
own  age  today,  requires  ^reat  intelli>-ence  and  knowledge 
of  a  very  high  kind.   But  ufter  all  wh'it  is  fill  this 
knowledge?   Is  it  not  a  mere  multiplication  of  the   imple 
things  of  everyday  life  turned  into  or  converted  into 


7 


a  clieotio  complexity  by  the  so  called  intelligent  people, 
under  tiie  ^aise  of  simplifying  the  dealing  of  Jtiaman 
beings?  Who  can  &eny   that  this  simplification,  as  we 
are  taught  to  call  it,  requires  thst  hundreds  and  thou- 
sands of  Intelligent  people  spend  their  precious  time 
learning  the  methods  and  procedures  of  running  these 
everyday  dealings  o-  men  and  making  it  impossible  for  the 
lay  minds  to  unci er stand  anything  i^hat soever  of  that  which 
they  ou^t  to  know  regarding  their  own  affairs. 

Secondly,  granting  that  this  chaotic  complex- 
ity is  desirable  for  the  management  of  the  progressive 
business  of  today,  after  all  is  it  not'  the  sume  thing 
that  the  people  in  ancient  times  used  to  qo  ,  namely 
adminifcitering  to  the  bread  and  butter  side  of  humm 
life?  Our  business  methods  require  great  intelligence 
when  oompired  to  those  of  old,  but  it  is  in  the  same  line, 
only  of  a  hi^-her  amplified  kind.   We  cannot,  therefore, 
blind  ourselves  to  believe  that  the  achievements  made 
by  modern  business  men, by  exercising  great  intelligence, 
could  be  made  eoual  in  value  to  those  of  an  intellectual, 
(  i.  e.  Brahanian  )  of  today. 

Knowledge  which  consisted  of  worldly  wisdom, 
coupled  viith  the  wide  vision  and  higher  thoughts  of  the 
grave  problems  of  life,  ere  t i on  and  the  end  of  tnings, 
was  whcit  the  l^ahamanL  craved.   They  were  administrators. 


7' 


oounselors  and  minlKtars  at  tiie  courts  of  the  kin^« 
They  were  law-g,ivprs,  lawyers  and  edacatora.   They  ^ere 
priests  attending  to  the  religious  and  social  ceremonies 
of  the  people  at  lar^e.   i'hoy  wore  moralists  and  Phi- 
losophers to  ^uide  and  lead  humanity,  not  by  mere  r>re- 
oeots,  bat  by  =^ctual  example. 

Thus  a  Brahaman  never  cared  to  amass  wealth 
or  the  comforts  of  life  but  on  the  contrary,  he  ^as 
ouite  indifferent  to  such  material  thln^^s  beyond  the 
plain,  simple  needs  of  a  thin'k:in5  mind. 

We  have  seen  the  psychological  implications 
that  characterised  such  a  four-fold  division  of  the 
Hindu  society  in  the  ancient  days.   We  might  also  note 
the  several  incentives  that  brought  satisfaction  to 
theae  different  groups  and  kept  them  contented  vtithin 
their  social  order  for  several  oeax.>^TiQ&. 

The  Sjiadra  bein^  a  man  of  very  lo\.  inentality, 
is  not  susceptible  to  rtn^   incentiv^a  except  those  of 
pure  physical  gratification.   Thus  to  leave  him  care- 
free regarding  his  maintenance  ::xni    living,  is  enough 
incentive  to  keep  him  contented.   He  sings  in  merri- 
ment \^hile  doing  the  manual  labor  for  one  -who  protects 


r 


him.   Those  v.ho  have  seen  the  colored  slave  v^orking 
merrily  on  the  farme  of  his  master  and  sinking  son^e 
Tvhile  doing  the  v^ork,  oan  imagine  hov.  the  mere  incentive 
of  an  assured  subsistence  is  enough  for  them. 

The  Vaishyas  hnd  the  incentive  of  wealth  and 
the  conse^aent  pleasures  that  cvuno  in  the  tr.iin  of  riches. 
Though  they  nad  to  be  subordinate  to  the  ruling  class, 
yet  in  their  private  *.nd  social  life  they  had  all  that 
money  could  buy,  and  thus  the^;  led  a  contented  life. 
If  anyone  of  them  had  intellectual  aptitude  he  was  able 
to  develop  the  same,  and  to  use  it  in  becoming  a  business 
man  of  a  high  order.  Moreover,  the  study  of  any  litera- 
ture was  open  to  him.   If  he  chose  he  could  become  a 
highly  educated  person  and  give  up  his  oaete  profession, 
bat  in  order  to  protect  the  members  of  other  castes  and 
not  to  cause  any  interference  with  their  professions, 
he  was  not  allowed  to  hold  public  positions  that  viere 
reserved  for  the  Brahaman  cai^te. 

This  was  in  spirit  a  kind  of  guild  union 
system.   In  the  case  of  the  Kehatriyae  the  incentive 
w  s  power,  to  rule.   The  Kshatriyas  were  given  the  same 
edueationaJ  Tirivi leges  that  the  Branamans  or  the  Valphyas 
were  given  but  they  Tvere  advised  to  train  themselves 
in  the  seience  of  government  ana  were  given  intensive 
military  training  1x3  order  to  become  vqx^   efficient  rulers 


7/' 


or  soldiers  ai:  the  case  demanded  •  To  protect  themselves 

within  their  ov.n  c  iste  and  to  protect  the  corresi^onding 

fur.ctions  nnd  nrlvi le^es  from  competition  on  the  part 

of  the  people  of  the  Brahaman  or  Vaishya  oaste,  certain 

restrictions  %ere  laid  down.   No  person,  even  if  he  be- 

oume  Drof Lcient  in  a  profession  other  than  his  own,  was 

allov-ed  to  hold  or  rather  encouraged  to  hold  any  office 

of  rank  in  that  professlor.  The  Kshatriya  was  allowed 

to  aof  aire  a&  much  learning  xb  he  chose.   It  was  his  own 

affair.  ^og^^P^ ^&  3.J^Usn  01 1,  ftjj^e^^lg r e  Jiey f r  mQnop o  1  i  z e d  ^ 

by  aj5y  sLn^ile  caste,  but  were  the  "orooerty  of  anybody  l^'^^  \^^ 

and  everybody.  Only  the  members  of  the  Shudra^qaste 

werenot  all owedto  read  or  study  the  sacred  literature 

for  fec-r  of  their  misusing  it  •  They  were  not  allowed 

for  the  Yery  same  reason  which  led  the  Americans  to 

prohibit  the  colored  children  to  study  in  the  s^ime  school 

with  the  white  children  and  which  led  the  Americans 

to  allot^  separ  ite  o^rs  to  the  v.hites  and  the  blaclcs  in  the 

Southern  States  even  today.   It  was  generally  felt  and 

believed  that  the  unclean  life  that  a  Shudra  usually 

led,  due  to  his  lover  level  of  mentality,  as  v;ell  as  due 

to -the  meni.il  work  tnat  he  did,  brod  unclean  habits 

and  unrefined  manners  and  attitudes;  and  as  such  he  co'-ld 

not  be  reasonably  and  safely  c^uraitted  to  the  study  of 

the  sacred  and  philosoph- oal  works.   This  was  perhaps 

primarily  due  to  a  physical  repugnance  and  prejudice 


T 


\J\v 


on  the  part  of  the  Aryans  toward  the  Shadras.   Other 
reasons  were  naturally  Invented  or  sophisticated  as 
we  h'ive  done  and  still  do  in  many  oasea^ 

The  incentive  in  the  case  of  a  iSrah'^TT^an  was 
honor  or  respect  paid  by  all  of  the  three  catJtes  to  him. 
He  did  not  have  the  ruling  power  in  his  hands,  nor  the 
wealth  J.Ike  the  merchants  to  meet  his  needs  and  desires. 
irom  the  standpoint  of  money  and  power  he  was  the  poorest 
of  the  first  three  Aryan  castes.  Yet  the  duties  he  v.  is 
discharging  toward  the  betterment  of  the  society  were 
more  nomeroas,  more  difficnlt  ^nd  involved  greater 
responsibilities.   All  that  he  did  was  in  the  main  a 
sacrifice  without  any  adqaate  material  return  whatso- 
ever. 

But  the  bigness  that  comes  through  intellectual 
superiority  does  away  with  all  of  the  desires  of  a  lower 
order,   Tt  is  the  very  nature  of  sacrifice,  self  denial 
for  the  ^.ood  of  othert;,  that  brings  untold  satisfaction 
and  happiness.   Plain  living  and  high  thinking  In  the 
real  sense  of  the  terms  have  a  singular  charm  and 
hiopiness  of  their  own.   Wants  ot   any  kind  cannot  make 
a  person  of  such  a  tendency,  whether  born  or  acnuired, 
miser^^bl©  or  discontented.   He  only  needs  one  legitimate 
thing  to  hold  on  to  his  duties  and  to  lead  a  contented 


y-r 


life.   That  is  HOI^IOH:   Take  tliie.away  from  him  and  nothing 
is  left  him  to  remnin  virtuous.   He  is  sure  to  follov^ 
in  the  footstens  of  other  kindtj  of  people  and  cease 
doin^  hi^  unselfish  duty.   Brahamane  are  described  in 
the  Sanskrit  literature  by  hi^h  sounding  and  glorifying 
epithets.   They  are  called  TTpT^^T^TTi     (those  vsh0i>e 
wealth  is  honor),  ^^^j^x     (earthly  gods)  etc.   All 
this  is  quite  psychological,  as  even  today  the  kings 
and  emperors  are  addressed  ^Ith  like  epithete ,  thoa5h 
they  mean  very  little  in  reality* 

Moreover,  it  is  remarkable  to  note  that  it  was 
not  irvealth  or  physical  power  that  was  respected  more  than 
anytning  else.   It  was  the  pure^  simple,  tself  denying, 
intellectual  life  that  was  respected.   To  speak  in  more 
popular  terms,  it  wat:  not  the  Kaiseriem  of  Germany  be- 
fore the  War,  or  the  Almighty  Dollar  of  Americi  before 
and  after  the  War,  that  was  held  as  the  object  of  wor- 
ship, but  it  w?is,  as  the  true  and  ratLon^.i  christians 
will  put  it,  Christ,  tne  ictuai  living  virtue,  reason 
and  service  th  it- was  respected  and  worshiped  by  the 
Hindus  of  old  times. 

Tnis  wai5  the  psychological  evolution  of  the 
Hindu  Castes,  ^^e  shall  see  Inter  tiic? 
causes  of  the  degeneration  and  the  en i otic  condition 


into  vsiiicii  the  caete   system  has  degenerated.     At  tiile  eta^e 
ne  are   only  concerned   to  not^the  psyoholo^loal   Implloa- 
tione   in  the   or^^^nlzatian  and   admlnietration  of  the 
all-safflolng  four  cifetee.     Having  seen  thaij  far  the  di* 
Tleion  of  the  Hinda  society   into  o  fetes,   v*e   shall   take 
up  in  the  next  chapter    =   disoaesion  of  the  measures    adopt- 
ed  by  the   Indo-Aryane  to  sastain  the  c  it^te  sjtstem  .^a^ 
render   it  a  practical  program* 

Sosomary* 


1*     Character   of  the  oa8t«  aytstem. 

(C'j-cjtes  are  not   idealistic   Dictures   of 
social   or^anlzutlone   but  they  are  actual 
¥»or}flntv;  pl^ae.) 

£•     iJotivee   underlying  socie.1  claeslf  ieatl  on; 

a.  Aryans  vs.   iion-Aryms. 

b.  Division  of  labor    ic cording  to 
nature  and    behavior. 

c.  Tl,q  three   function  il         > •:.-;£  .md 
their  dcsi*jn'^t?  one. 

-.entai   evolution  and   the  oorrest^ondin^ 
social   stattis    of  the   different  ^^roi  ps. 

4.      Incentives  for  entisfaotion  ^hich  exist 
within   ones  caste. 


CH  PTER    VII. 

Jttst  as   the   soci    ..-    life  vaas  divided    into 
foor  c^eteB,   bo  ^ileo  tiie   life   of  tiie   individual  was 
divided    into   orders*     Tiaeee   orders,   knovm   In     anskrit 
ae  Aaiiramus,   v. ere   deelf^ne.-      c   .  -t<=-    the    life   of  an 

indivldaal.as  well  r-a  to  re^al-f.te   tiie  ^rou^a   of   in- 
dividual    in  the   form  of  castes*     The  division  of  orders 
was   nurely  educational    in  oh^raoter.     For   Individ uale 
as  well  ae  groups  of   individuals  ?^ere   considered    the 
material  of  which  the   social   structure  was  built. 
I'has  the   training   of  theL-e   individuals   ooT^elpted    , 
not   only  of  school In©  in  their  early  years,   but  also 
in  an  all  around  development  dtirln^  their  ifehole  life. 
It  mi^ht   be  well  to  feive  a  few  definitions  of  education 
ac   f&rriUl&ted   by  the  ancient  Aryan  educators. 


!♦  Education  is  that  process  which  has  the 

povver   to  '^^U-'^-'ne  the   future   of  n   oerson. 


£•  Eduoatlon  is  the  wisdom  tftat  enables  indivi 

dualB   to  uiake   8ati»5f^>ct^ry  ^id,1uetraont   to 
their  enviroxKient. 


3.  Education  iB  not   training   or   in^jtruction   in 

some  art  but   it   is  living  actual  life. 


SducatiDn  Goet;   not,    therefore,   be^ln  within 
the   school  v,alls   or  end   there,    but    it   be^^ins  first    ^t 
the  house   of  the     Guruf teacher )      ^^nd   ends  with  the 
close   of  life.      Nature   i^    .^^  ^reut  school  or; in 


IV 


f 


her  ecliool  tjie  iiaman  race  has  learned  innomerable  leseans 

aad  tiiese  lessons  have  proven  to  be  Hiore  flrro  -md   last- 
ting  than  the   leasons  learned  %'itiiln  acixsal  vtallB. 
Spenoer*8   Iclea  thnt  f^auoation   la  a  TjreiD^.ration  for 
for  oomplete  life  may  be   true    in  eo   far  as  all  learning 
18  confined  to  the  eohoola  an^l   t..      .jhOv^l    .ge;    but  the 
Aryan  ooncoption  "was  deeper.      John  Sewej,   the  great 
Ainerioan  eduoator   of  oar  time,  voices  this  Bide  concep- 
tion of  the  ancient  Aryans  ^hen  he  says  that  education 
1b  not  a  preparation  for  Boaethlnt^  to  come,   bat  all 
•dacation  most   begin  rith  the  ciiild   and  lead    into  human 
plvllls€'ti -^n.     Ill  education  must  start  froiB  the  tra- 
ditiDnal  path  and   be  adaptec   to  the  enviroisBent  of  the 
child    of  today.      It   is  actaal  living  and  partaking  of 
life,   leirninfo  all  the  ^hile  the  traths   of  life  as  we 
paee   thrgu^vh  the  corridor  of  experience* 

Sttch  an  education  of  an  all  around  nature  kae 
to  be  baised  on  the  plan  that  ^111  suit  the  social  structure 
aad  ut  the  same  time   be   iisychologically  adapted   to  the 
nature   of  the  human  organism*     ^hQ  higher  the  mental 
level  of  an  educable   orj^anism,   the  more  oompliciited, 
greater  in  content  and   stricter  in  discipline,   should 
be  the   form  of  education  designed   for  it*     Higher 
mental  level,    after  all»  means  the  j^reater  cerebral 
development  with  Intricate  connections  and  convolutions 
of  the  aBeociation  fibers,   finer  motor  and   sensory  dis- 


/ 1/-" 


eliarges  and  Quicker  reception  and  trfcinaxnifcsion  of  the 
stimali  through  several  end  or^^ns   of  iienee*  According- 
ly the  Aryan  educiitore  who  ^ere  not  mere  i.e    .ielaiss, 
bat  eocial  lendere,  lav.  makers  and  fidminiatratore  of 
all  kinds,  Icld  dovfn  thie  orderly  Bystem  of  edacatlon, 
dividing  the  life  of  on  Indlvldufil  !nto  fonr  parte. 
This  division  was  b&eed  on  the  complex  foundation  of 
biologioal^poyoholo^ioal,  eocial.  economic  and  reli- 
ejioae,  political  and  spiritaal  conslderst I Dns%  It  will 
be  evident  to  one  v.ho   hfis  onde.rstood  the  eocial  eoheme 
as  described  in  the  previous  chapter,  hovj  all  thece 
several  scientific  considerations  were  given  to  the 
fonaolation  of  these  orders  that  are  an  essential  com- 
llraent  to  the  four -fold  system. 

The  division  of  the  society,  into  four  all 
sufficing  functional  groups  ooald  not  be  complete  and 
practical  unless  some  measorei;  are  taken  to  limit  the 
functional  powers  of  individuals  of  one   genera ti oil 
from  interfering,  overlapping  and  continuing  these 
functions  during  the  whole  life  time  of  the  second  or 
third  generation.   Selfishness  is  one  of  the  primary 
instincts  of  man,  and  the  desire  to  nold  on  to  ones 
function  and  to  the  attendant  authority  and  honor,  is 
invariably  strong  in  all  human  beings.  Thus  in  the 
interest  of  the  yoanecr  te^^^ratlon,  measures  have  been 


IUW> 


laid  domn  on  a  pare  payotiolo^lcal  baeia  wiiioJi  dlviao 
the  life  of  an  Individual  into  parts.  Sacii  part  is 
to  to  be  devoted  t     ortaln  line  of  pnrsiilt  wjalch  is 
in  turn,  u  cart  of  the  v.liole  fonction  and  aim  of  the 
life  of  thiit  individiml* 

This  not  only  enables  the  indivldaals  to  ad- 
qaire  different  kinds  of  trfiinlng  as  reqaired  and  pos- 
sible from  the  biological  ^;nd  physiological  growth  and 
development  of  hie  organism,  but  politically,  md  es- 
T)eoiall.T  economically,  it  eaves  the  conflict  of  interest 
beticeen  the  old  and  tne  nev^  geEeration,  there  bein^  a 
continuous  stepping  in  and  oat  of  functions  and  offices 
on  the  part  of  every  individual.  This  is  known  at  the 
Aahrama  system  which  is  an  integral  part  of  the  Indo- 
Aryan  caste  system.  It  may  be  observed  In  passing, 
that  violation  of  the  la"WB  of  the  Ashrama  system,  due 
to  various  causes  on  the  part  of  the  people  of  India, 
oltimately  led  to  the  chsos  and  Inefficiency  of  the 
caste  system,  culminating  in  the  preeent  day  abuse 
and  disintegration  of  the  Hindu  society. 

Ashrama  life  is  the  very  root  of  the  Hindu 
culture.  Whatever  of  idealism  has  been  developed  in 
India,  has  been  very  l^irgely  due  to  this  a^-e  long 
system  irhlch  froa.  the  very  earl.  -  y^  ol  iiindu  oivili- 
nation  has  made  it  possible  for  !i  Hindu  to  reallae 


ffjY 


and   balld   ap  an  ideal  for  his   Individual  life.     This 
may  be.  psyciiolOgiicaliy  termed  a  eystem  of  indlvidaal 
©iiaracter  training  interms  of  tke  approval  and  dis- 
acT^roviil  af  the  o  alt  are  of  tiie   land» 

Besidei^   it  hxiB  one  far-sigtited  aim  of  ©afe- 
gaarding  the  cafate  8y&teiu»     ^hm  necessary  diYieione  of 
caatee  may  liot   breed  pride  of  roeition  or  conceit  of 
personality.     The   individual  is  made  to  go  tiirookh  a 
eevere   trsinlr*^  and  discipline  to  develop  a   i^rirlt   of 
eelf  letaciurient   in  tJtie  four  stages   of  life* 

A.     Br  a  bmao  h.ar  ya  slirsm  (The  Kdutcation  Period  of  a  Celibant) 

The  ^shraias  procsdureile  ae^fiJ^llows*- 

The  tiiiildron  of  tiie  f Iret  three  ©atstes  of  tJW 
Aryan  ^.na  be^i-^Aryan  ^roape,  li-hen  tiiey  iiave  flnisiied 
tiieir  6igiitli  year  go  tiuroiigii  a  oerenionial  lnown  as  tlie 
UpanayanaC translated    into  i!*tt^lieii  ae  tiie  eaored  thread 
ceremony ).     !2iie  «ord  Upacayana  literally  means  initia- 
tion or^tHkin^'  near"   to  tiie   preceptor  for  educ^»tion. 
After  tiiis   formal  cereinonyffor  a  d^^talled  description 
of  wjDioh,    t'ee  Dr.   dose'a  "Hindao  as  tney  are**)    the   ooy 
enterB  tiie  house  of  his  Gorafteaehor)  who  takee  full 
oh:^rge  of  him,   not  for  the   aake  of  money  bat  for  the 
sake  of  impi.rtlne^  knowi©d«;e  urn  iKisdoc;,   un(x   thua   ful- 
filling his   o^n  duty  ajs  has  come  to  him  by  reason  of 
his  C'itJte  and   Aahrama. 


n^ 


V' 


The  first  fita^e  af  life   is  o^lled  the 
\a  which  meane  the   period   of  oeXlbioy  and 
dlBcioleship*     The  three  vovs  thtt  a  boy  haa  to  take 
are» 
"Poverty, 
'"Ohaatity, 
"and   obedience." 

It  ooiild   be  seen  how  theise  yov^s   ire  solenti* 
fioally  aaited  to  the   organic »  mental  and   physical} 
derelopment   of  the  individual    ^^t  that  &tu^e« 

The  houBes  of  the  G ur as ( t ea oher a )    «   as  are 
all  homeB  of  holineea  in  India,     re  very  plain  and 
eimrsle.     They  probcibly  live  with  their  wives  and  ^hil- 
dren«     nd   there  receive   the  yoon^  diaoiole  who  cornea 
^^  them  to  be  made  fit  for  the  different  poaitlona  he 
will  oocttpy  in   life. 

The   firet  and   foremost  less on  that  thie  boy 
learns  from  his  (rorn  is  about  the  ^reatnese   of  God  ae 
manifested    in  this  vsonderfal  creation  of  His*     All 
know  the  peycholo^ical   juetificatlon  of  this   initial 
training.      It  aims  to  foster  good   attitudes   and   check 
man  from  running  wild   like  animals   in  the  sheer  porsait 
of  nhysical  ^^ant8    .nd   their  gratifications  rit   uny  cost* 


/  •^ 


r 


It  Is  Important  to  note  tiiut  in  the  Jiotise  of 
the  teacher,  vhloh  le  u  hermitage,  no  caste  le  observed. 
Stadents  oomln^^  froa  all  of  the  three  catites  are  lodged 
and  bOi>rded  together.   ^They  50  throagh  the  same  training 
and  diaoipline  ap  to  the  '^ige  ^f   thirteen  ^nd  fifteen. 
Daring  this  period  of  the  plasticity  of  the  nerroae 
system*  a  oouBBon  training,  physical  as  veil  as  mental, 
was  deemed  hl^ly  eaeential*  For  in  this  period  the 
indlTldoul  ie  capable  of  beln^  infloenoed  by  sarroondinge 
more  than  at  ''"i^ti^  oth<?r  time,  find  as  such  commnnal  In- 
tercets,  felloi?  feeling,  brotherhood  of  castes  etc., 
if  cult ivci ted  in  the  mind  of  the  "S'yxxn^   boys  by  re- 
oe lying  ^   common  education  ant>  living  the  common  life, 
woald  ensore  the  solld-^rlty  and  s^ifety  of  the  society 
at  large  when  these  beys  beeome  the  functional  members. 

IThe  rank  of  the  parents  is  not  considered  it 
all.  These  hermitages  of  the  Gar  as  vvere  in  the  forest 
where  great  Indian  Universities  were  conducted. 
Forests  were  turned  over  to  such  institutions  of  learn* 
In^  as  land  grants  for  their  maintenance  by  the  state. 
The  theory  of  establishing  schools  s^nd  oollegee  awsiy 
from  the  nolee  and  rush  of  the  city  life,  was  staunch- 
ly  adhered  to,  thus  creating  almost  a  new  world  for  the 
young  boys,  where  they  could  learn  by  living,  the 
practicul  problems  of  the  different  Wcilds  of  life. 


/7- 

Th»  wlLO^e  x>rep^r?i%ion  is  for  th«  forth-oomln^  ooiB^ujile* 
tic  life,    for  i5lilcli  India  iins  been  so  famoaa  all  over  tue 
world  • 

This  ABiirama-eystem  of  trulnlJD^   Individ aals 
in  efficient  oltizenaiilp  islth  the  ideal  of  eommonlgitic 
life   i^  '^^n  outcome   of  tlie  age   lon^  experience  of  the 
civilised    Indo-Ai-yun  aocietler^         Inanolng  of  tiieee 
foreet  nniverfcitiee  and  tne  boarding  of  tkc   teaoiier  and 
tile  taoght  nt  the  hermltfigee,  m&B  done  partly  throu^jli 
the   oroduoe   of  the  land  grants  $^n^   r^artly  throa^  the 
pobii<»  funds  and    individual  contrlbitione  isvhlch  «ere 
voluntfiry.      If  the   oarents   of  the  pu  11  could   send 
anj  money,   tnec.weil  and  i^ood,    if  not,   his  expenseg  were 
met  through  the  public  funds  of  the  institution*     The 
public   finnnclni^  of  tho   instltntee   of  learning  was  based 
on  the  Hindu  iaea  of  sscrednees  of  learning*     It  is  the 
lure   of  the  material  civilisation  of  today  on  the   ocie 
hand^   and  the  consec*nent  al^^ckneee  of  noble  idees  and 
Ideaie  ol   life,   due  to  the  want  of  directive  force  oir 
power  on  the  other,   that   is  gradoally  drawing  India  out 
of  her  orcfoundly  homan  ideas* 

The  nmses  i>f  these  four  orders  are:- 
1  •       Cel  1  fcft;  oy  •    ( isr  ujuaiiia-ciiiirya ) 
t.       Fumll'H^'Qf  conjo^a  life   (Garhisthya) 
3.        i»art!^it;  r^^tlrement   ( Vanapraatha ) 
4«       Hen  uncial;  ion     (Sannyae) 


m 


1*  Members  of  tlie  Sraliai&aii  oaate  were  supposed 

to  ^0  tarou^Ai.  vi^xX  tiie  four  of  the  abore  meiatloned   orders* 
f lifts  «e  ean  see  tJie  pressure  of  dlselpllBe^   self  oontrol 
and  varlagated  experlenclal   ordeal  tiiroctgh  ^nloh  the  most 
honored  of  the  eastes  had   to  puss*     It  was  permissible 
for  certain  individaals   of  early  intellect ual  ripening 
and  depth,   to  tkiae  fraa  the  order  of  Gellbaoy  rfght  en 
to"  the  order   of  l^enonclatlon  (^annyas)  s^tlppici^  over  the 
tmo  intermediate  orders*  Bat  as  a 

rale  Urahamans  neat  throti^ii  the  foar  orders, learning 

all  the  while  several  lessons  from  this  kind   of  '^      *    - 
gated  experience  and   oooasional  self  oontrol  v.hlch  was 
aatnrallj  called  forth  to  oe  exerci«5ed   v,iilie   quitting 
one  order  an(?  paeei^i^^  Ai.wj   ^iiother   ^>^     u.x*,^   -  new  nature* 

S*  The  Xshatriyae  were  enjdlned   Oj on  by  the  first 

three  orders  and  Tsere  not  reouire^-to  take  the  row  of 
complete  renunciation  of  all  they  once  possessed  ^nd 
enjoyed*     f sychoia^ioally  it   ie?  bat  reasoriable,   not  to 
expect  too  much  of  a  iCshatrya  wnoee  life   is  spent  In 
conqaering,  mastering;  and   enJoyii%:  the  thlni^s  of  life* 
Partl«3l  retirement,      .  ,,  v^^^   ^.^flce  in 

favor   of  other E  who  'were   ?>rep«irect   i.:>   .  in  Bnd  merely 

claim  the  tseans  of  honor  ;s«i«=*tence,    iike  the  mo- 

dern penfcion»«,   Vf^^s  almost  a  las*-  seif-aeni al  that  a 
warrior  can  be  expected  to  do* 


11^ 


a*  Por  the   l^alsiiy  .e(iiierchants  and  ^rionltarlete) 

only  the   firtt  tr  *    -^^ 'lerB  were  ©s^Din- '    *.-» 
dnrlnfe'  tJie  pleistio  a.ii^  pro^adoleeoent   period   and   uiter 
tJlfit  family  life,   buslnese   life   *^nd  geaeral   fanetXomil 
life  until  tJie  end.     A  Yaieiiy^i   c^   ^  •  li   1 

retirement   if  he  chose  to  do  ao  out  the  kind   of  life  he 
led  all  throagh  hie  yotith  and  middle  age,    of  money 
ma-'ing,   enjoying  laxoriea   of  wealth  etc«,   left  him 
generally  slu^^vleh,   oorpalent   und    incMipetent  to  faoe 
any  phyeloal   pr lYatlonts   or  troablee.     i^ven  in  oar  time 
ve   L'ee  this   in  the  c  ae   of  most   of  the  biibinobs  men, 
when  they  reach  the  uge  of  sixty  or  sixty^f Ive.     ^his 
is  due  to  the  cMafortable  mode  of  life,    from  u  physical 
standpoint,   th^t  this  class  of   '^'»^'  le  leads* 

Aleo  in  the  ease  of  an  agricaltnrl^t  the  farm 
duties,  after  n  vhlle,  oecome  almoBt  Bterea^yped  and  he 
loses  all   Irttere  )thor  thafi  hi^  u«a<4l  life, 

Moreor  .  ,      the  other  two  orders,.  -      «•  intellectual 

and  require  tielf  denial  und  detacament   tvoax  thlpge   on€i  hiS 
o^ned   for  a  long  tlzne*     The   een&e   of  attachment   ie  n>itiir- 
■^^1''^  ^•"  ' -^   ^^\^   p   — ^-   r.?  tnue^  \,,,„  ^.-Te  soaiethlng 

Jhii  be  «tt  iched   to.  r#haaian*s  life  frwa  r%Yj  child- 

v.ood  iii  so  formulated   that  the  eence   of  property  hae 
r  roly   .    ohanoe   to  enter  his  mind.     But  a  Vaishya,  more 
than  even  a  X»hatriya,    ie    sttaohed  to  eo  many  things. 
Even  in  the  lowest   etratom  of  hie  caste  he  has  to  cul- 


!lt> 


tlvate   th'^   3an8«  of  attaf»hin«nl'        thfl  thlxiga  that   hf5  might 
progrf5S3. 

Whetherrpbe  an  agriculturist,    a  -^rafti'.man  or  a  buGlness 
man,   he  '^eala   In  material   objects  mora  than  any   bc^y   else, 
Aa   such  to   ^ajoln  nnv   j^trir»tnr   rM Helpline   on  hliK  than  the 
fnlfllTr«'^^-    oft   th"    ^^T        ;...o    OT'lorf--.  woul?1   .'reari  to   Gtreteh. 
the  virtue  beyond   its  lirs^it.    Also  his  family  life  w^s  full 
of  in<!^lvidual    ,    social,    coinirerplal ,   anl    aajional   <1utifls« 
Fin  'iiro  tl:'*  TT'o-iorol;    of  rhf.T- i  ty,     .11    other  c""--^'^-    in  one  way 
or  another  rlapea^le'l   upon  this   <»a8t9.   Kings,    e^lucators  as 
K^ell    Gi?  the  laboring  classes   need   the   cb.3tf»   that   handles 
ti^.Y'i  r-ulture   i:  :•'      ■ ':  'i^^-^ia,    pr-^. -'^ --i  nr;^   diati  i -u .  ing,    and   per- 
petuating the   propperi^y. of  the   soGlety» 

4t    Shudras  lihs  the   colore'^^   peojilr;  it «'^.   jtates 

were  negiicted*      I/uc   to   tho   '--l  y''     ■  r"k.    th^f.    •^ere  doi  i- 

for  the   society,    there  ^as    ae\'i?'iT    a   '^hance  left    bo  let    them 
oat    of  it    and    io   so^nethlng   ©1b©,    Thise  v/ho   serve   others 
knc  *"    ■■  ■   -.T  ;   i.-j    :'nvr>.r  an   '-!n'i    to   it-.    .  iiere   Is  always  a 

demand   for  manu^il  labor  and  the  lower  kinds   of  service, 
moreover  as  the  life   of  the  Aryans,    that    is,   the  members  of 
the   first    ^  hrno    castes,   wor    f '^rrntilized    end   or-^-^ni^ed    in  a 
definite   fashion  as   describe'^    before,   their  growing  population 
and   increasing    needs  required   a  greater   number  of  Bervants. 


//r 


Boal'ies  the  pursuits   of  life   for  the   AryHna,      ^i'^   not 
terminate  In  the   acquiring  of  education,   livlag  a  f^onjugali 
life     producing  and   enjoying  the  needs   of  the  wotld,   as 
we   see   toda^?    in  our  rriodern  noTniTionitios,    but    the  orier 
system  endorsed   and   encouraged    the  removal   of  the   functioning 
members   of  the   society  for  something  srpposed  to   be  higher 
and   nobler   beyond  mere   function  of  living^   This  had  much 
to   do  with  the  negler>t   of  the  ohuora  caste.    They  Lad   no 
time  left   to  attend  to  this   class   of  the  Aboriginles  and  the 
people  of  low  intelllgnecet 

vVe  q.lso   seo  the  same  thing  in  our  American  history 
of  Hducation,    The   state  laws  passes   from  tim.e   to  time 
modifying  the   conditions   of  e-iuc^itlonal   opportuaity   for  the 
population  ae  a  whole  shows  clearly  how  for  a  long  time 
no   care  r^-  s  taVen  of  the  colore^  population.      The  gradually 
!=iome   8tut.;g   sho^^ed   u   liberal   attitude  but   d4d  not  approve 
of  putting  the  r^ol^red   children  in  the  samo  schools  with 
the  white  children,      ]  oreover  the   courses  of  study  offered 
for  the   colnT<b'\  pupils  we-^e  much  inferior   In  r»ontent  • 
Until   very      recently  a  colored   man  was   Indirectly  barred 
froiTi  making  free  use   of  educational   opportunities.    Kven  today 
th'^ro   are  ttm  ny   dif  Iculties   in  the  way   of  e   colored   boy 
getting  a  satisfactory  education     as  compared  to  those  of  a 
whit 3  lad% 


fn 


This  Is   true   every  where,    (    whether  we  like  to  adrr.it   it    or  not) 
where  the  relation  of  conqueror  and   the  conquere^l,    superior 
and    inferior,   white  an-     the  black   ot*  yellow  exists,    Aryans 
were  no  exception  to  thid  deep  rooted  trait    of  the  human 
nature.    Still   in  those   old  times  they    did  what   they   could 
by  admitting  ths  ohudras   in  thoir   30L?lal   jyatein  and    recognising 
thorn  as  human  beings  who  possessed  the   same  kind  of  sould   , 
though  on  a  very  low  level,    of  evolution. 

Y   Educational   iige  as  a  rule  was  from  eight    to  twenty- 
five  inclusive.    The   initiation  cere.mony   (thread   -"f^remony ) 
was  performed   at   the  jHge   of  eight,      as  has   been  said   in  the 
fore  poi'ip:  pag-es,      in  the   case   of  all   the   first   threo   wastes, 
^''roffi  the  @§e  of  eight  to   thirteen  there  was  y'ompulsory  primary 
education  des'?ribed   for  all  .    The  r»urriculum  during  these 
primary  grades  was  uniform  and    common  to  all,      his  was  the 
gannral    rouada^.ion  for  ell  3rinds  af  branching  out   of  studies 
which  took  place  in  the  next   stage   of  education,   according 
to  the  needs   of  the   pupil   in  termu   of  his   caste.    His   -^aste 
simply  decided    the  line  ho  waa        to   take  up4    but      in  that   line 
he  was  perfectly   at  liberty   to   choose  his  special   interest, 
For  exampl»     a  Valshya  boy  will   be  direct   d  to    inter  the 
vocational   and   agricultural   lin^s;   then  within  the  limits  of 
.that   line  th«re   are   innumerable  branches   of  study  and  training. 
He  colli ^   take   up   any   one   or  more  of  those   .iev*3ral     trades 
that  he  liked.    Also  there  v/as   some   few  courses  that  were 


//«> 


compulsory   accor'^lng  to  the   nature   of  the  main  liae  of  stu^y. 
J'or  Instance,      a  boy  of  the  Kshatrlya  <»aste  r»oul(3  talre  up 
ploltical   sr»ien'>e,    economics,   philosophy   or  any   subject   he 
chose  to   npeelallze  In     or  ^  o   stu-ly   as   far  ar,  he  could,    but 
military   training  was   coppulaory  for  him  nnfior  any   condition. 
In  times   of  war  he  was  to   be  draft^*   first,   whether  he  was 
actually  living  a  sol'^lerly  or  kingly  life  or  not   and  as 
such  he  was   required  to  have  thftt    sort   of  training  eompulsor* 
lly  as  a  rule. 

From  the  age   of  thirteen     to   sixteen  or  seventeen 
the   curriculum  laid  greater   emphasis   on  corapul^Bory   r^ourses 
and  elect  Ives  were  compsirltlvel:;'   fe-??.      For  this  was  the  age 
when  conscious   education  stepped  In  and   here  was   the  time 
of  habit    forniijrion  and   creation  of  111c es  and   dislikes, 

Teach'^rs  were   as   a  rule  from  the  Brahaman  caste 
and  they   being   assent! ^7 ly  responsiblj*   for  the  authorship 
and   especially      for  the  perpetuation  and   smooth  running 
of  the   caste   system,    advised    bki^   instructed   the  students 
in  such  a  way  that   the   students  would  forma  habits    ,   likes 
and   dislikes,   that   ?;ould  make   them  effecient    citizens   of 
the  societ;^   in  terms   of  their  respective   castes. 

It   must    be   noticed   that,    Inditxn  educatt^<    was     ^ 
not   directive   in  nature  as  the   e-^uccitlon   in  ^rnerica  is 
but   it   was  purely   instructive.    On  that   ground   it  must   be 
admitted  that   the  Aryans  ^vere  not   so  very  liberal   in  their 


//7 


social  views;    rathor  on  the   contrary  W6  have   ever:/    reason 
to   Infer  psych ologlcalj^y  from  their  social  ani   e^Jucational 
theories  an«5  practise  that   they  were  a  conservative  people 
In  the  main.    Their  progressive  attitudes   in  many  respe«^ts 
may  permit      their  orthodoxy  to  be  called  an  Knllghtened 
conservatism      » 

^h'!:   vige  limit    of  compulsory    e^pcatlon  was   fifteen 
after  whl'^h  u  boy     was  tillowe'"'   to   leavn   ih^  s<^hool     that   Is 
the  hcjrmiitAcre     of  his  Guru   (teacher)    If  he  chose  to  do  so 
or  6f  his  parents   30,  'lesired,   to  take  up  actual  part   In 
the  vocation  of  ll^e.      In  many   ^ases,   especially  la  the   case 
of  princes,      the  boy  was  required  to  leavf?  the  S'^h6o^ 
right   after  the  compulsory  ago   ,   to  succeed  to  the  vacant 
•uhrono.    A1'3  0  ^"he  poor  people   of  th'^  Brahaman   ,  Kshatrlya, 
or  Valshya  r»Bstes  n*^^'^-*^'^  their  boys     to  tal^e  up  some 
remunerativ;     crlT  r  '''   support   their  par-^nts   even  from  that 
early     ago* 

Froir.  flfte-^n  or  seventeen  on  to  twenty  five 
regular   specialization  v,orV  began,      f-ne  had  to   choofee  his 
major  ana   some  few  allied   electives  and   do  Intensive  study 
in  that   particular  line,      This   specialization  program 
liowever,  was  not   so  much   of  an  intsmive  resear<»h  style. 
Education  was  mainly  cultural.    Though  we  do  find   the  s^^ier-- 
of  Medicine,   Astronomy,   Mathematics,    and   Grammar  very  highly 


//^ 


spceialisji^a.      Each  one  of  tho30  r^^qairod  full   twalva  years 
of   Acntlnuous   study  tr    -        • -.■'  ,    ^v^  work.    The  last   namily 
gram»nar  may  app  -ar  rather   atruQge  to  bo  group©'!  with  the 
other  aocepto-i   s^len<?QS   of  roodern  tirr.eo.    but. due   to  th« 
highly   f1e"velop2d   nnci   complicat  o'l    form   of  the   ianakrit 
language,   the  then  spoken  language   of  India,   grammar  was 
30  elaborately  ^orlted   out     that   often  it    could   be  substituted 
in  tie  upper  division  work   "f^or  rri?ithematl?^s. 

All  the  curriculura  was  so   organ!  55 ed   that   a  ^outh 
coull   normally  finish  hi«   spocialiKation  as     ell  as  the 
general   eduratlon  by  the  twenty   fifth  year.    Then  the  period 
of  family   life  set    1  n^      A  student  '^me   sent    out  ^vith   blessings 
by  his   teachers     to  go     to  the   rity  or  twsn  and  get  married 
and   start   actually     parti ripa"^lng   In  tho  problems   of  life, 
as  >x  family  man.    Marriage  w,qs  not   romjynlsor's  on  gither  of 
the  :^exf;s   but    it  vfps  highly   rec^orrir^ended,    A   detailed    "esf^ript ion 
of  this  will    DC  given  Tvhile  treating  the  second   order  of  the 
caste  system. 


H7 


Family  1  If  e(  GruhasthashraTna) 

This   OT'ler  Is  Instituted  with  two  fundemontal 
psychological  reasonj: 

1.  To  take  care  of  the  sex  Instinct, 

2.  To  perpetuate  the  human  race. 

Thus  the  timo  for  siEirrla^e  anfl   the  forms   of  marriage 
are  laid   down  in  the  v/orVs   of  kanu,    the  Kindu  law  giver, 
accor^itng  to  the  physical   and  mental  levels  of  the  people, 
Since  the  first   threo   castos   i.r^   base^l   on  this  V(»r3'   consider* 
at  ion       Menu   speakg   of  ^ight   forrns  of  marriage  with  a  detailed 
description  of  each   and   that   description  tells  us  how  those 
different    forms   of  marriage  are  acceptable  to  peoples   on 
different   phy:iical  --entrA:!    levels.      Also  the  tim?  for 

marriage   varied  in  different    castes.    This  was  also   due  to 
the   social   end   educational    'differences  among  the  castes, 

A  Brahamfn  had   to   undergo  a  comparitively  period 
of  celebicy  then  a  Kshtriya  or  a  Vaishya,    He  was  supposed 
to  ac^lre  greater  self  control  and  gravity  of  learning 
to   filnction  efficiently  without   any   neterlel   power  at   his 
comrr-and.    All  he  could   do  V7a8  to  inspire  awe  and   reverance 
in  the  nlnda  of  the   people  at   large   and   on  the  strength 
of  those  two  keep  up  his  social   statAs  •    Thus  norm.ally 


~> 


a  Brahaman  was   suppos  ol  to  get  marriacl   froir  twenty  on. 
Highly   educate-^   Brahairans  married   at   the   '^loso  of  their 
education  or  about   th-i  age   of  twenty   fl-ve. 

The  Kshatriayas   ,    due  to  their  physical   e^^ucatlon 
and   naturally   robust    frame  used  to  become  physically  matured 
and   the  age   of  fifteen*    Thus  ,they  were  supposed   to  get   married 
from  fifteen  on     to  twenty  according  to  their     social  needs. 

Similar  was   the   case  with  the  Valshyff3(    Cornrnon 
people).    ;5ome  times   they  married  as  late  as  a     Brahaman 
and   sometimes   ev<^n     earlier  tihan  bhe  Kshatriya.    The  later 
case  of  early   carriage  was  due  to     two  reasons:    1. 

1,  In  the  hot    climate  of   India  sex  naturlty  was   as 
a  rule   earlier. 

2.  Very   eloaely  \nlt   farnlliy  system  In  India  BMlies  It 
Yjp..^^.,  ^.  .-      ]  ,    .  *. -f  fVr  -fe^  -^lles  to  get   a  girl 
in  the  family   circle  at   an  early   ags^   so  that 
during  the   liupresalonable   age   she   could  be   Instru- 

'-t -^^    ii  th-'j   fa.Tiily   trs'litioas   aa'l   could   be  so  brought 
up  thttt   she  would   not  iook  upon  the  merabers  of  this 
new  family  of  her  husband   as  strangers    ,   but  will 
gradually  get   n^^f».^    t^   ^.^'*t^\     anl   learn  to  regard 
them     iia^   Iotc*  thoni     as  her  own  people. 


fj^r 


TMa  eonslderatton  la  var^  important   ana  eould  not 
b«  anderstood  by  thoso      who  have  not  oxparloncod  a  family 
lifo  in  tha  widar  sansa  of  the  termt      Wa  notica  in  the  animal 
kingdom  tliat^  tha  m^lo  and  tha  famalo  form  a  raal  family  unit* 
Tha  yoang  onea  ara  mambars  of  tho  family  only  during  tlioir 
infanoy,   j3o  aoonar  do  tha^'  gat  atrangth  anoug  to  stand  on 
thair  own  lags  for  thair  support  and  protaetion  tluui  they  la 
laaya  the  par  ants  and  wit>slR  pi  ^^or     ti^rja  forgat  thair 
ralationships*   v^^ti  to  tha  axtsst  that  the  young  starts  the 
propagation  of  his  ra<?a  throwgh  hid  own  mother* 

tfa  human  balnga  are  blaasad  with  reason  and  our 
power  of  remembering  things  is  Inflnatedty  greater  than  that 
of  any  emlmal*   f he  only  thing  that  difttinguished  us  from 
other  lower  knigdomes  is  onr  TatlonaT   behavior  whieh  malrec 
us  n&t  merely  gregarious  but  our  gregarlousness  is  highly 
seleotiTe  end  systematie.     Primitatlva  sian  with  the  dawn 
of  reason  came  to  understand     the  Be:s  differeaoe  but  with 
the  develo^^ement   of  reason-^raroe  to  i9r©t#<»t  and  raspeet 
his  companion  of  the  opposite  sex*  Here  also  in  the  human 
kingdom  we  find  at  tha  beginnlgg  vs&  aougugaa  xi£a  ^sband 
and  wife     ,   only  two  constituting  a  i'aaiil^*      -ut  as  the 
social  assosiatlon  fibers  bee*»«  to  increase  in  number  he 
ooald  not  saggregate  himself  from  his  parents  Juat  ta  win 
a  wtfwfor  his  paraoiial  irratlfl^^^xi on  uuii   eempalled  his  mates 


//^A- 


to  come  ana  live  with  him  anfi   his  pa-^-ents.   Thvs  he  learhed 
to  bind  the  past  with  the  present,   ?»lien  children  were  born 
the  s4nse  of  future  relationships  evolved  and  he  did  not  like 
to  let  his  chllfren  go  away  from  him  leaving  him  and  his 
wife  by  themselves.  So  he  brought  up  his  children  In  such  a 
way  that  they  learnet^  the  same  lesson  that  he  had  learned 
through  sheer  experience. 

Thus  with  the  advance  of  natural   civilization 
man  began  to  live  In  larger  groups  called  family.  This 
developed  Into  the  trlbe^  society  anf  nation.  One  who  Is 
able  to  live  such  a  life  of  larger  and  wider  association 
came  to  be  regarded  as  t,  truly  human  and  civilized  person. 
This  was  In  brief  the  psychological  evolution  of  human 
mind  from  the  social  point  of  view.  ?rom  this  view  of 
natural  civilization  of  man  ,  early  ihatrlage  with  the  aim  of 
educating  the  girl  In  the  traditions  of  the  family  and  making 
out  of  her  a  worthy  mistress  of  the  group,  who  would  enhance 
and  propote  the  name  of  the  family  and  add  to  its  glory  by 
her  kind,  loving,  respef»tful,  human,  and  sociable  conduct 
towards  all,  deserves  all  ■prt.ize.m 

The  critics  must  remember  that  In  these  early 
marriages  there  Is  no  plase  for  even  the  thought  of  sex 
relationship.  Older  people  who  have  a  vision  for  the  future 
choose  a  good  natured,  healthy  girl  from  a  family  that  is 


/A 


socially  arid  morally   equal  to  their  own.   Par  ant  a 
and  other  elderly  relations  af  both  sides  get  together 
and  think  out  the  desireablllty     of  stLc^  a  union  and  then 
contract  the  rlationshlp* 

ilarriage  la  a  mere  forroal   ^eremony  so  far  as  the 
young  brife  and  bridagroom  are  concerned* •   Grett   care  is 
exerted  by  the  older  members  in  the  family  of  the  bride- 
groom  to  superintend  the  behavior  of  the  brl^e^room  towards 
the  brlda.    ?or  the  first  year  of  this  nominal  married  life 
aoioe   elderly  woman  from  the  brides  fwnlly  for  whom  tha 
youag  girl  has  great   love  and  attachment    ,    is  sent  to  live 
with  her  at  her  husbands  family.   Thus  the  serapation  is 
mnch  ffiitigmted  and  the  young  girl  gradually  gets  used  to  the 
new  environment.    Alsot  the     people  of  the  bridegro<Mas  family 
are  always  exceedingly  kind  and   loving  to  this  new  member 
of  the  family. 

When  the  girl  attains  the     puberty  age  the  mother- 
in  law  attends  to  her  and  a  public  announcament  Is     Bade 
of  the  day  for  the  honey  moon.    From  that  day  they  become 
husband  and  wife  in  the  eugenic  sense  of  the  term. 

Thus  we  see  that   In  the  case  of  rich  people  or 
in  the  oaaa  of  families  that  have  rich  heritage  of  traditions 
child  marriage  becomes  a  necessity  from  a  social  point   of 
vl  ew. 


l^^ 


If  a  young  woman  of  fifteen  to  twanty  y^ars  of  age 
iJlio  under  warm  Indian  climate  has  practically  become  a 
matured  woman,   'Ahose  ideas  and  ideals  are  formed,  ifhose 
character  is  built  up  and  who  due  to  her  long  association 
with  her  own  people  during  the  impress! onaMe  age,   finds 
it  difflcnlj?  to  readily  understand  and  appreciate  the  views 
ipanners  and  treat m'^nt   of  the  pwople  at  her  husbands  home, 
be  brought  into  the  family,  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  family 
factions  crop  out   ana   the  only  solution  available  under 
that   situation  is  to  go  back  to  nature,  that  is  to  take 
to  your  wife  and  leave  those  who  brought  you  up  who  under- 
went all  kinds  of  sufferings,  physical,   social  and  pecuniary 
for  you,   behind  to  their  own  fata  and  enjojr  the  life  in 
the  company  of  your  newly  acquired  friend  as  animals  and 
birds  do* 

s 

Early  marriages  In  poor  families  are  not  socially 
commended  at  all  tAlso  the  religion  does  not  permit  early 
Biarrlage  in  th«  eugenic  sense  either.   This  much  in  favor 
of  the  rational  earlym  marriage  is  enou|!h  for  those  who 
can  understand  the  underlying  conditions  and  social  implicatlonSi 
For  those  who  cannot  understand  the  true  slgniflcence  of  it 
will  never  do  so  eVen  if  volumes  should  he  written  to  eaqplaln 
the  theme* 


/  X/^* 


In  th«  dlscusaiojQ  of  this  ser^ond  order  of  the 
eas^e  system     It  will  b©  proper  and   essential  to  give  a 
general  psychology  of  marital  relations  among  the   Indo-Aryans, 

Marriage  Institutions 

According  to  the  religious  and  social  law  of 
InAla  marriage  is  not   regarde-^  as  a  matter  od  merely  choosing 
a  companion  of  the  other  sex.      If  that  were  allowed,   that 
is,   if  free  choice  were  to  rule  the  ilatrimonlal  affairs  it 
would  make  the  social  life  individualistic  and. with  it  the 
caste  restrictions  would  be  much  shaken  •    The  feeling  of 
love  would  have  ber»orae  an  incentive  to  break  the  rules 
but  as  the  marriages  came  to  be  arralnged  by  the  parents 
in  the  majority  of  cases,   the  force  of  this  feeling     does 
not  avail   even  now, 

The  feelings,   information,   ideas  and  calculations 

of  th??  parents  being  the  control*ng  factors  in  Indian  marriage 

the  custom  of  marrying  within  the  caste  is  retained.    The 

theory  of  marriage  purity  as  preached  in  Indian  scriptures 

w*ll  reveal  the  reason  why  the  Hindus  hild  to  this  form  of 

marriage.    It   is  thus:"     A  really  falthftil  woman  or  man 
ought  not   to  feel  affection  for  a  man  or  woman  other  than 
the  one  vith  whom  she  or  he  is  united.    For  a  superficial 
observer  physical  purity  or  pollution  stands  for  morality 


/  ;*-  ^ 


ana  Its  opposite.    But  ps;  <?>  ^      "        ly  the  objective  standards 
of  morality     acscoraing  to  t.  are  montal  attitudes 

towaT<5s  the  other  sex.    " 

On  this  point  the  Bhagvadgita  says" 

"He  nho  controls  all  the  physical  senses  but  keeps  thinking 
of  the  objects  of  senses   ,  mehtally,   that  fool  is  said  to 
ba  an  immoral  person^ 

This     is  not  whet  the  Hindus  alone  preached 
or  belelved^   It   is  admitted  by  the  thlnkAng  minds  of  the 
world*    It   is  indeed  a  very  difficult   and  perhaps  extra 
normal   doctrine  for  the  average  human  being  emd  can  only 
be  practised  by  the  super  men*    But   on  the  whole  the  ideal 
that  is  to  be  placed   before  the  society  and  inculcated 
in  the  minds  of  the  people  for  practice  is  with   the  aim  of 
helping  the  evolution  of  mankind  to  «^ulroinate  into  a  super- 
man society,    ill  the  great   souls  recognized  this  thot; 
opportunltists,    due  to  their  narrow  considerations,  have 
oftan  condemmedlt   as  unpractical  and  purely  idealistic. 
Christians  will   do  well  to  recall  what  their  prophe^has 
said  on  this  point  and  consider  how  far  It  approves  the 
love     marrlaga  as  in  vogue  today.      Jesus  said: 

"Ye  have  heard  that   IdfTwas  aald,   thou  shalt   not   commit 

adultery   ,   but   I   say  unto  you,   that   -ivery  one  that 

looketh  on  a  woman  to  lust   after  her  hath  committed 

adult ory  with  her  already   in  his  heart.    And   if  thy  right 

eya  causeth  you  to  sjrumble,  pluck  it   out  and   ^ast  It   from  the*?. 


4         '^f*  y-j^'      h  .r-t  1".^A- 


l^ 


for  It  Is  profit aT)le  for  th-s-j  that  one  o:^  thy  members 
should  j^erish  and  not  thy  whol«  body  be  oast  Into  Hell* 
And  If  thy  right  hand  caaseth  thee  to  stu«ble  fnt  It  off, 
ana  cast  it  from  thee,  for  it  is  profitable  for  thee  that  ona 
of  thy  members  should  parish  and  not  thy  whole  ^dy  go  into 
Hell,  It  was  said  also,  who  evp^r  shall  put  away  his  Wife 
let  him  give  her  a  writing  of  devoreement.  But  I  say  unto 
you,  that  every  one  that  putteth'  away  his  wife  an'  saving 
for  the  oause  of  fornication  ,  maketh  her  an  adult erest 
and  whoever  ahull  ij^arry  her  when  she  is  put  away  committeth 
adult ory  • " 

Such  purity  is  compulsory  not  only  after  marriage 
but  e^en  before  marriage,  for  that  is  the  only  correct 
ideal  of  ehastity,  No  maiden  cooild  be  considered  pure  if 
she  feels  love  for  a  man  other  than  the  one  to  whom  she 
night  get  married.   As  she  does  not  know  whon  sha  is  going 
to  get  marriad  to  she  must  not  feel  affection  in  the  passionate 
sense  for  any  man  at  all,  before  marriage.  If  she  does  so 
it  13  a  3ia.  So  it  is  Setter  for  a  girl  to  know  whom  she 
has  to  love,  before  any  seijmal  consciousness  awakens  in 
her* 

The  eight  forms  of  marriage  of  which  Mami  spaaka 
so  much  seem  to  have  been  the  forms  that  were  in  actual  ex 
•xistencti  in  those  days  among  people  in  different  parts 
of  India,  Manu  approves  of  the  first  four  forms  and  calls 
tham  clTrilized  marriages.  While  the  ramaining  four  forms 
are  not  approved  because  of  the  low  mentality,  unciviled 
condnct,  barbarous  methods  and  low  tastes  characterized 
them  t 


/^y 


These  last   four  fonrs  were  practised  by  the  aborlglnles 
as  well  as  by  those  wild  tribes  that   enter  India  from  time 
to  ttir.e« 

The  form  of  nusrriage  useri   for  the  Brahaman  caste 
Is  known  as  "The  Brahma  Vivah  %in  this     form  the  young 
scholar  after  completing  his  educatloA  or  leaving  the  school 
Is  supposed  to  go  back  to  the   society  and  with  the  help  of 
the  elders,  parents,   iriends,    ect.    ,gatner  iiiXorj^tioii 
about   certain  marriageable  girls  of  hly  caste  in  regard  to 
their     physical    ,  mental,   enucational,   social  family, 
and  lastly  moral  statiBs.      Then  he  was  to  call  on  the  parents 
of  those  girls  whose   descriptions  appealed  to  him  and  ask 
the  favor  being  Introduced  to  their  daughter.   3y  way  of 
conversation  for  some  days  with  such  young  girls,   it  was 
easy   for  an  educated  Brahaman  boy  to  find   out  whether  the 
party  was  suited  to  his  nature  and  education  and  such  other 
considerations. 

The  boy  would  not   be  introduced  to  the  girl 
until  the  parents   of  the  girl  got   full   information  about 
his  family,    education,   social  stititus  9itii*      If  all   of  these 
were  found  to  be  satisfactory^  he  would  be  permitted  to 
know  the  girl  and  then  if  both  the  palrtles  feel  satisfied 
and  inclined  toward   each  other  the  boy  was  to  go  to  the  father 
of  the  girl  and  beg  of  him  his  daughter  in  marriage. 


m 


1 


ill  this  was  not  very  Intricate  procedure  for  the  aiip^^le 
life  of  the  Brahemans     of  those  ancient  tiroea  and  their 
high  eaucatlonal   standing     rather  made  matters  quite 
slmfle  and  straight   forward. 

The  form  of  marriage  used  by  the  KahatriFas 
was  known  as  "  Gandharva  Tivah'.   This  was  exactly  similar 
to  the  love  marriage  in  the  west*    A  kingly  Eshatriya 
whether  he  was  a  prince  or  an  ordinary  soldier »     naturally 
took  pride  In  wining  the  lady  by  his  chivalrous  conduct 
and  heroic  deads.      The  faisous  drama  "Shakuntala  "  written 
by  the  greatest  of  the  Sanskrit  peets.  2:alidas,is  a  master 
piece  and  is  real  to  the     letter  depiction  of  the  Kshatriya 
marriage  and  its  whole  procedure, 

T?eference  ;   Dr.    Arthdr     W,   Ryder?  translation 
of  3ha3aintala  is  the  best  to  read,      Sver:froans  library  series. 

Love  marriage  was  called   "  G^dharva  Vivah" 
because  It  was  belelved  by  the  Aryans  to  be  the  form  of 
marriage  used  by  the  Gandharvas  or  the  pleasure  seeking 
guardians  of  the  eight   quarters,   of  Indian  !^hology» 

It  must   not  be  Inderstoc^   even  for  a  moment 
that  the  religious  orthod03cy  of  India  was  completely  void 
of  all   feelings  and   considerations  of  love. 


'  D 


Lov«  marriage  was  regarded  as  a  very  noble  typw  of  anion. 

but  It  was  nf^y^iT   allowed  to  confine  itself  to  the  physical 

sl(^e  of  the  problem;  It  had  to  bo  linked  with  the  aim  of 

life  as  a  viiole.  The  wife  was  regarded  essential  for 

participation  in  any  sort  of  religious  ijeremony.  Gods 

it  was  said,  would  ne^er  be  pleased  with  the  services  and 

offerings  of  a  mail  who  was  singlet  The  religions  position 

of  a  woman  ,  which  was  greater  than  any  position  ever 

offered  her  in  any  society  of  the  world,  made  marriage 

mor^  than  mere  physical  gratification  concern  or  propogatlon 

duty, 

Divorces  in  the  Kshatriya  caste  were  permitted 
due  to  the  nature  of  love  m&rrlage.  People  are  likely  to 
commit  mistakes  of  choice  and  repent  of  them  later.  But 
socially  divorce  was  condemned  or  at  least  not  looked  upon 
as  respect li^lble. 

In  the  case  of  the  Vaishyas  (common  people) 
'•Dalva  Vimah'*  (  determined  miprrlage  )  was  used.  This 
was  the  kind  of  marriage  spoken  of  at  lengUi  before. 
Parents  of  the  briie  and  the  bridegroom  are  responsible 
for  contracting  unions  of  their  'Children,  Also  it  may  be  well 
to  recall  all  the  reasons  and  considerations  shown  before 
to  explain  the  psychology  of  this  pra<»tlce.  It  Is  called 
Dalva   or  determined  form  of  marriage,  because  the  bride 


i'bf 


or  the  t)rldegroom  has  no  choice  In  It, 

It  is  strange  to  say  that  ,  as  the  Indian  society 
grew  bigger  and  bigger  In  population  and  the  consolidation 
of  It  under  the  Brahaman  guidance,  tenrled  to  maiie  It 
intensely  conservative  the  Valshya  form  of  marriage  namely 
marriage  contracted  by  par'^nts,  got  the  better  of  the 
upper  two  forms  anri  today  among  the  upper  castes  this  form 
Is  common  and  deep  rnoted. 

This  second  orcler  of  the  Hindu  caste  system 

stands  In  the  main  for  the  attainment  of  the  three  ends  of 

the  worldly  life  namely  Dharma  (  duty)   Artha  (wealth) 

and  Kama  ^  desires),  Duty  sonsists  of  helping  the  malntanance 

of  the  other  three  orders,   Wealth  means  producing  and 

perpetuatiiig  the  prosperity  of  the  conanunlty.  Desire  means 

satisfaction  of  personal  longings  as  human  beings  ,  that 

la,  making  use  of  the  worldly  things  towards  ones  physical 

wants  an'l  needs, 

I 

It  Is  plain  from  what  has  besn  pointed  out  in 

tha  fore  going  papes  as  well  as  In  the  previous  chapters 

that  there  are  two  important  elements  in  Hindu  caste  system, 

1,  Endogamy  and  II  ,  Hierarchy,  The  classes,  ra<»es  and 

occupations  have  a  combined  effect  of  exclusion  of  one 

group  from  another^  Also  due  to  the  life  work  and  the 

attendant  ment^ul  level  and  the  degree  of  delf  sacrifice 

there  is  an  understanding  that,  one  group  is  superior  to 


I  ^A^ 


•nothar  group*    Of  th«se  two   eldraents,   in  this  story   of 

marriage,   it   is  better  to  single  out   the  element   of 

endogamy  for  psychological  considerations.    Wastemalek 

could   be  quoted  here  with  snfflcient  propriety     since  ha 

has  done  great   study  along  thsi   line.    He  aays*: 

"Affaction  depends  in  a  very  high  'iegree  upon  syiupathy* 
Though  distinct  attitudes,   thasa  two  clasaas  of 
emotions  are  roost  IntAately  connetfeed*    Affection  is 
strangthanad   by   sy^athy  and  sympathy  is  strengthened 
by  affection.      Community  of  Interest    ,   opinions, 
santiments.     culture,   mode  of  life,   as  being  essential 
to  '•lose  sympathy,   is  ther-s  fore  to  warm  affection. 
If  love  is   excited   by  contrast  it   Is  ao  only  within 
certain  limitw.        The  contrast   cannot  be  so  great   as 
to  exclude  sympathy.    *• 

Human  affection  is  generally  restricted  to  those 
who  are  similar  in  these  respects.    People  differing  in  raca 
religion,   civilization  and  customs  are  also  different  in 
those   es'^entials  of  close  sympathy,   and  human  affadtloB  is 
always  guided  by  race  and  religion,      customes  or  social 
positions.    All  these  considerations  explain  why  people  tend 
to  become  endogamus  and  then  castes  ar  classes     arise  out 
of     that.     This  was  not     or  is  not   pacullar     to  India  alone. 
If  or  is   it   characteristic  of  prlmatlve  people  only. 

Let     us  tel:e  the  case  of  the  clvlllzad  nations 
of  Europe.    In  Sweeden  in  the  seventeenth  century     marriagea 
out aide  of  the   class  were  ptnished.    According  to  the  German 
civil  law     the  marriage  of  a  man  belonging  to  a    high 
nobility 


13^ 


nobility  with  e  woman  of  Inferior  birth  vuq   regarae-l  fiatll 
before  the  great  wa»  at  least  <11sparafiing   and  the  woman 
va£  not  entltle'l  to  the  rank  of  her  husband,  uor  was  the  full 
right  of  Inheritance  possessed  by  her  or  her  children. 

This  period  of  family  life  extended  over  twenty 
five  years;  that  is  at  the  age  of  fifty  amn  and  woman  were 
expected  according  to  the  or'^er  system  to  relinquish  in  favor 
of  their  successors  all  theor  material  possessions,  make 
arralngements  for  their  suppoBt  ana  leaa  a  life  of  partial 
retirement* 

Partial  retirement   (Vana  Prastha) 

,By  lihis  partial  retlr^^ment  order  was  meant  that 
in  most  of  the  ordinary  affairs  of  the  family  life,  the  elders 
were  not  to  be  much  'concerned*  It  was  the  duty  of  the  young 
]»«^le  of  the  family  to  loolr  after  tho<^e  details.  The  respon- 
sibility of  the  hotjg*  hold  together  with  the  social  duties 
were  to  be  discharged  by  the  active  members  of  the  family* 
The  retired  people  were  to  assist  the  younger  generation 
by  way  of  ktmely  advice  ans  such  other  help  which  they 
could  afford  to  render.  But  the  main  purpose  of  this  partial 
retirement   was  tvo  fold: 


/  c^ 


1«    To  teach  the  next  generation  tc     function  ia 
place  of  the   olfler  one  by  handing  over  +'»*  ^   -^--^  v-,^ 
responsibilities  and  privlliges  to  them. 

Z9   To  learn  self  control    ,    r!etachment   from  the 
worldly  poasepslons  fnd  attractions,  to  the  end  of 
ultimately  renouncing  all  the  material  connections  with 
the  world  • 

This  was  a  gradual  training  in  learning  how  to 
participate  in  the  activities  of  the  society  without   any 
personal   selfish  interacts     what   so  ever.    Teople  during  this 
stage  have  made  very  r«rMLtta^le  contributions   ,    especially 
literary  and  philosophical,   to  th«  , culture  of  India. 

Unselfish  interests  *n  the  one  hand  ani   on  the 
other  the  desire  to  do  something  beneficial   for  the     sociaty 
bafore  taking  the  complete  vow  of  renunciation,  .spurred  the 
people  to   e^tert  their  best   efforts.    Consequently  the  results 
were  often  highly  beneficial  to  the  comrcAnity  as  a  whole. 
While  the  older  people  were  passing  their  days  through  this 
partial  retirement   order,  the  younger  people  also  learned 
to  become  self  reliant  and   to  gradually  loosed  the  ties 
of  attachment  to  the  older  generation^  whl'^h  often  retards 
the     rogresslve  march  of  the  youths. 


This  ordsr  lE3t«a  for  twenty  flvs  yeftre, 
physiologically  speakliie  this  1b  th,  normal  time  whne  p.opl, 
•hcnia  gat  o4t  of  «ctlv«  or  ev<,n  partial  participation  In 
the  affairs  of  the  worli  for  eTentually  It  becomes  and 
obatlcle  m  the  problems  of  the  society  rather  than  otherwla.. 


Smayaa  (  Rennnelatlon) 

This  is  the  final  order*  T  he  individual  stoppiag 
Into  this  order  has  to  go  through  a  certain  religious  e 
ceremony  in  which  he  takes  the  vow  of  complete  renunciation 
of  all  worldly  possessions*  He  becomes  a  citizen  of  the 
world  and  is  no  longer  a  member  of  any  caste*  i411  castes 
are  alike  to  him.  All  the  restrictions  of  inter  dining^ 
touchability  etc*  vanish  in  his  case^  He  lives  in  the 
spiritual  kingdom  and  recognises  God  alone  as  superior  to 
him.  He  is  subordinate  to  none  in  the  world.  ,He  gives  up 
aid  of  his  hard  earne^l  possessions,  comforts,  human  ties, 
in  order  to  embark  on  that  austier  phase  of  life  in  which  he 
is  supposed  to  attempt  communion  with  the  almighty  principle 
that  creates,  sustairas  and  destroys  all  the  universe. 
His   is  the  life  of  thought*  Merged  in  high  abstract 
philosophy,  living  on  the- highest  inteller»tual  plane  he 
learns  to  manifest  the  supreme  virtues  of  piety, truth. 


•^  ^T^<^^  ?•• 


/^J» 


Ja8tlo«  and  knowledge* 

As  has  baan  said  bafora,  ha  is  a^solTad  from  all 
of  his  worldly  obligations  in  the  lagal  sensa  of  tha  term. 
Ha  ehangas  his  nama  an*^  takes  a  new  one  which  has  a  universal 
implication* 

Tha  whole  creation  is  alike  to  him  slnea  on  this 
mental  level  he  is  supposed  to  sea  the  spirit  of  things 
and  not  the  mere  external  form  as  he  did  during  all  of  his 
praTlous  years* 

Oeeassional  meditation  on  abstract  principles* 
plain  simple  life  out  side  the  attractions  of  worldly  noise 
and  struggle,  brtng  on  his  a  certain  gravity,  .Constant 
communion  with  nature  makes  him  a  pure  lo^er  of  Gods  creation 
and  deep  thinking,  a  study  of  philosophy  and  chaste  life 
malre  him  rise  above  the  normal  plain  and  attain  a  unique 
physical  and  mental  stage  of  dignity,  awe, and  reverence. 

The  great  ' Shank ar'  who  reconstructed  the  dwindling 
Hindu  society  and  religioa  when  Budhism  began  to  rise  in 
India,  was  a  3annajrasln  (  Renouncer)  »   He  spent  all  of  his 
life  without  ever  owning  anything  but  all  the  while  doing 
most  unselfish  servlcet  to  the  human  race. 


I^^n   -MOT*^    fm'^.^-:'''- 


t^rs    f<'f 


In  modern  times  the  affairs  pf  the  world  hav« 
radically  changed  the  nature  of  human  life.   The  needs  of 
humanity  are  different  to  day  from  what  they  were  in  old  times 
Hence  one  taking  the  tow  of  3annyaa   (renounclatlon)  has  to 
lead  a  somewhat  different  typw  of  life  than  was  customary, 
Dr.  Kurtakotl  »  who  Is  one  the  representatives  of  the  great 
Shankar  In  India  to  day  has  taken  this  tow  and  has  be'^n 
busy  all  these  years  reorganizing  the  social  and  religious 
life  of  the  Indlah  people.  He  Is  the  first  of  his  order  who 
has  taken  actlTe  part  In  the  modern  educational  programs 
of  the  count ry.  He  has  been  recently  elected  as  the  chancellor 
of  tl^e  "  Tllak  Mahavldyalaya  ",  a  new  university  lately 
established  by  the  Indian  nationalists  In  memory  of  late 
Mr*  Tilak»  the  founder  of  Indian  nationalist  party. 

Dr.  air,  Subramhanyam  Alyar  ,  who  held  high  public 
an'i  goTeonmental  offices  during  his  life,  stepped  Into  this 
order  and  Is  now  rendering  most  unselfish  serTlce  to  the 
•oelety  In  bringing  about  the  economic  and  political  uplift 
of  indla  ,   He  no  longer  <5lalms  any  of  his  titles,  , 

Mahatma  Gaftdhl  ,  after  all  of  his  brilliant 
career  as  a  scholar  in  England  and  a  Tery  highly  paid  barrlate  ? 
Barrister  in  India  and  in  South  Afrlva,  entered  this 
Ashram  and  is  now  leading  the  masses  of  India  toward  their 
political  emacipatlon« 


■I/Ci'^  r 


/C?i) 


Aeeording  to  Christian  missionaries  and  Colonel 
Wedgewood  a  British  officer   ,   Gandhi  la  th>^  only  living 
person  wh*  is  leading  a  real  Christ-like  life.    No  political 
leader  in  any  country  enjoyed  Gandhi's  fame  •    Even  his  enemie^a 
have  nothing  to  say  against   his  personal  character*   Love» 
truth  and  piety  are  his  weapons  «   He  does  not  beleive  in 
physiaval  force     as  the  Instrument  that  a  human  being  should 
use*      in  obtaining     anything  that  Is  good  and  righteous* 

Young  educated   Indians  have  great  reverence  and 
admiration  for  this  order  and  for  the  people  entering  it. 
They  all  aspire  to  enter  it   some  day  when  they  could  realize 
the  bliss  of  universal  attitude   ,  vision,   and  experience* 

This  order  closes  the  drama  of  human  life  in 
four  acts. 


©  at     #(»«a 


r*#*r«iV-^'t"     vSi'b'^'^.     5V?t?f    5*41  -■  'f A.'>  '"     'ort/j f^r- 


i3y 


HIHDUI3M  AND  THS   CASTS  3Y3TKM, 

V«ry  oft«a  a  question  Is  asktd'  What  Is  tha 
relation  of  Caatt  aystaro  to  Hindu  rallglon?"   It   la  aaay 
to  ask  aueh  a  question,   but  to  answar  It   Is  a  vary  dlffleplt 
mattar.   Ths  difficulty  Is  not  dua  to  tha  ln<»oiBprabanalblllty 
of  tha  Phanonana  thriicsalTas  but  to  tha  false  Ideas  whlah 
exist  as  a  reault  of  the  present  eourren^^y  of  a  wrong 
system  of  thought*      Tha  study  of  social  sr^lences  In  Europe 
Is  new,   and  new  as  It  Is,   It  has  re(*el7e4  a  very  one  sided 
deTelopement* 

The  students  of  social  silences  had  not  a  good 
knowledge  of  civilizations     other  than  occidental* 
Moreover  their  Ideas  have   been  fettered  by  the  ^Imitations 
of  their  own  languages,   and  In  ray  opinion  this  fact 
prevented  them  from  studying  their  own  'Civilisation  In:    a 
manner  sufficiently  objective. 

The  first  point   Is  whether  ^asta  system  Is  allowed 
by  the  Hindu  religion  or  not.      This  nue^tlon  sounds  reasonable 
to  one  who  understands  th#  word  religion  as  It  Is  under* 
stood  In  occidental  countries. 


-%■ 


^6»0: 


d^  Tf 


fT 


The  ooeldental  society  was  formed  on  pre-existing 
eonstitation.  A  certain  taaster  and  his  teaching  existed 
and  those  who  joined  the  Theophratry  and  followed  its 
teachings  became  members  of  the  trible^The  members  uhder* 
took  to  follow  the  teachings  as  they  are»  Thus  it  became 
an  important  matter  for  every  person  to  find  out  whether 
any  particular  dogma  or  doctrine  can  be  found  in  the 
religion,  that  is,  in  the  original  constitution^  which  ha 
tm   suppoded  to  follow. 

If  anything  is  approved  by  the  master  it  is 
to  be  followed;  if  it  is  disapproved,  it  shoul  be 
abondoned.   In  this  case  it  is  perfectly  natural  to  ask 
whether  a  certain  thing  is  allowed  by  the  religion  or  no 
Just  as  the  members  of  the  legislature  while  voting  for 
any  law,  would  cansider  whether  the  particular  pr ode dure 
is  allowed  by  the  constitution. 

Thus  Religion, that  is,  Christianity  became 
the  backbone  of  every  Institution  in  the  western  world, 
IRome   became  the  central  power  of  all  the  Suropean  Polities, 
3y  the  time  when  reformat ion  came,  religion  did  not 
C6ase  to  dominate.  The  king  had  to  call  himself  the  head 
of  the  church  and  as  such  an  administrator  of  religion. 


^ii: 


y*fr 


S«  did  aot  *et  religion  aalde  but  took  over  the  charge 
of  adffilalaterlng  it  ana  thus  nsea  It  as  a  shield  of 
defenee 

This  was  possible  because  of  the  nature  of 
religion  as  the  occidentals  got.  They  took  what  the 
genius  of  a  single  Individual  offered  them,  though  they 
Bade  wome  changes,  chose  some  portions  that  suited  their 
purpose  and  formed  seiveral  creeds,  still  In  the  main 
they  had  the  savior  as  the  central  unifying  force,  whose 
word  and  wisdom  they  did  not  challenge  nor  could  claim 
to  8urp€iS8  publicly.  While  on  the  '•ontrary  the  situation 
In  India  was  quite  different;  there  religion  was  not  any 
revealed  constitution  bat  It  was  a  growth*  It  was  built 
up  gradually  by  the  several  contributions  by  men  of  high 
Intelligence,  pure  life,  and  philosophic  vision.  There  Is 
no  savior  as  a  common, central  figure.  In  Hindu  religion. 

In  fact  there  are  many  If  one  wants  to  call 
then  80.  It  was  a  pschologlcal  evolution  of  religious 
thought,  according  to  the  changing  and  complex  needs  of 
the  pvople  and  according  to  the  rise  or  decline  of 
mentality. 


03 


t9  bl9ki^  m  m» 


'%< 


w  ^."    .-i 


^c^Bto©' 


-i,i.r7..o '"•*■»  .5.  ^^Ti*. 


/*r. 


Then  the  laws  of  Hindu  lam  came  to  be  formal  at  ea. 
It  was  In  faat  never  conceived  as  an  Independent  entity 
hut  It  was  regarde*^  and  la  still  so  regarded,  as  the 
Institution  which  regulates  the  human  thought  and  conduct » 
to  suit   first  to     the  betterment  of  human  life  in  this 
world  and  then  to  tj:a  It  up  with  the  life  hereaftsr 
according  to  the  doctrine  of  Immortalltyt 

Therefore  there  are  several  definitions  of  Hindu 
religion,  and  ear*h  one  expresses  the  gradual  growth  of 
religious  thought,  la  tsrani  of  the  philosophy  of  the  time. 
In  short  philosophical  Investigations  were  the  raoulders 
of  religion  of  India,   This  situation  led  to  the  natural 
logical  result  of  roaJcing  Hinduism  not  a  religion  but  a 
system  of  religions. 

People  were  free  to  choose  their  beTlefs  and 
doctrines  according  to  their  individaal  mental  capacities* 
although  differing  ru'lleally  from  one  another  In  their 
beliefs  yet  they  all  remalne'l  under  the  common  catigory 
of  Hinduism,    In  spirit  this  was  the  most   democratic 
attempt   of  allowing  Individual  freeaoro  in  matters  of 
religion  and  still  federating  all  such  divergent  er49^m 
into  one  central  or^anozation« 


zfi 


ruuB0i! 


*  Ism  ^-^-  «^ 


Bhe^Tf 


ITir 


The  Sa»askrlt  word  for  religion  Is  Dhanaa 
and  It  Is  derived  from  the  root  Dhra   (to  hold),  "Dharaa 
Is  80  called     because  It  hiblds  this  world  together,  ■ 
This  Is  one  of  the  old  definitions  of  religion. 
(  ^/i^^//^HJJ><^/l:  W^^TFTrToTTrTQ.   This  definition 
shows  the  universal  charsf^ter  of  dharma  whl(*h  was  designed 
for  holding  together  In  a  unifie<1  form  the  whole  world. 


The  second  progressive  character  of  dharma  is  thfts: 
i^-J^^?^/^^^<V/(|^/%  ^^^^). .  Tiiat  Is  rsllglon 
by  means  of  which  one  conia  have  a  auccessftil  accomplish- 
went   of  an     all  round  prosperity  an^   the  attainment  of 
Hlrvan  or  salvation  •  **  This  definition  Is  accepted  as 
the  standard  definition  of  Dharma  by  Hindu  scholars  of 
ancient  and  modern  times. 

This  Is  not  opposed  to  the  worldly  prosperity 
as  some  other  definitions  are.    It   doss  not   regard  the 
world  as  Illusion  but   on  the  contrary  It   recognises  Its 
place  and  endorso-l  the  attainment   of  an  all  31*1  e*^ 
profperlty,   Man  Is  encourage^, by  this  character  of 
Hinduism,   to  realize  his  citizenship  of  this  world  ftrst, 
as  efficiently  as  he  can  and  then  connect  It  with  the 


n--    - 


■»f4 


ir-^ 


asptrAtlons  ana  life  after  aesth.  This  Is  the  greatest 
of  optimism  that  any  religion  can  preach.  It  Is  needless 
here  to  quote  several  other  minor  aeflnltlons  of  Hinduism 
found  in  the  saered  books  of  Inila.  These  t^AO  are  the 
moat  prominent  ones  and  they  clearly  state  the  two  fold 
character  of  Klndulaia^  namely: 

!•  Universality  .and 

2«  Worldly  and  31  ritual  scope, 
ThuB  Hindu  Dharma  la  not  the  setme  as  the  religion  of  the 
western  people.  The  essential  difference  between  social 
systems  Hire  ahrlstlanlty  and  Mohammedanism  Is  that  tn 
one  case  there  Is  no  conversion  ,that  Is  adoption  of  one 
group  or  Individual  by  another,  while  In  the  other  case 
there  Is* 

In  one  case  the  uniformity  of  manner,  customs 
and  beliefs  Is  trusted  to  Geofraphloal  proximity  and 
which  leads  to  social  Infetrcourse  and  the  Increase  of 
Intercourse  is  left  to  time.   While  in  the  other,  that  is 
In  the  <»ase  of  society  enclosed  In**  Hellglon**  an  att«Bpt 
Is  made  to  make  the  candidate  believe  what  other  members 
believe  and  disregard  all  that  he  has  that  may  be  different 
from  their  beliefs,  then  he  Is  ,  Indftvldnally  permitted 
In  the  social  group  enclosed  by  that  religion. 


L"     --  ■-        i,   C^.       .r     .^M  - 


ItS*^ 


:mliy'^^ 


iJi;s^t:$/cn 


/  '  • 


Hlndulam  Is  \>y   no  means  "national"  because  all 
tribes  In  India  were  not  completely  Hlndulsed,  but  many 
nations  like  Burmah  and  Siard  were  brought  under  Hindu 
influen'»e,  ?or  example,  even  to  day  In  Slam  not  only 
Bud&a  Is  respected  and  revered,  but  Indian  heroes  like 
Baaa  are  aleo  revered. 


Hindu  philosophy  which  is  the  back  bone  of 
Hinduism  does  not  ianction  conversion  from  one  religion 
to  another.  It  preaches  that  all  religions  are  for  the 
good  of  humanity.  If  people  follow  ^fhat  ever  Is  good  in 
their  liiarma  they  will  attain  all  ^  hat  they  desire  to 
accomplish,  No  conversion  can  bring  any  good  but  It  will 
simply  "divide  the  human  energy  and  understanding  and  thus 
render  difficult  the  attainment  of  truth. 

Controversies  aai  scepticism  enter  the  mind 
of  the  convert  and  he  is  usually  render 3d  Incapable  of 
thinking  in  a  straight  line.  Moerover  possibility  of 
changing  ones  IJharma  leads  to  the  abuse  of  such  a 
conversion,,  ffen  will  tend  to  use  conversion  as  a  means 
of  avolflng  the  duties  that  have  come  to  them  according 
to  their  own  Dharma,  ilso  ideas  of  conquest  and  conversion 
by  force  are  sure  to  enter  the  minds  of  the  followers 
of  a  religion,  that  endorse*  and  encourages  conversion. 


-9:1^  ^  •  aiS^nSiJ,  'USXJ3XU.     »?- 


JSO.H: 


?V.v 


*  cj!  ttr*  ^.i  %/' 


JliO 


r-^'zotar 


/^I> 


Boh««ijffisaanl8h  U8«d  military  for*?«  and  th« 
Ohrlat1aa«  u««d  Mlssioaa  back^'^  by     e^onomie  aad  military 
power.   The  earlons  thins  ig  that  sll  these  ftggresslTe 
religions  forget  the  essential  <»hara^ter  of  their  faith. 
1?h^  proceed  to  clvlllie  the  people  by  using  aaolvlllsed 
meatts,   Ttiay  do  aot  follow  the  good  j^riaolples  aad  teaehlngs 
of  t|ielr  own  religion,  do  not  exert  their  beat  in  reflnlag 
their  own  population  whleh  llTee  a  life  qnlte  opposed  to 
the  teaf»hlngs  of  their  religion  and  they  set  out  to  ssts 
the  soQla  of  heathens*   l^at  eould  they  e^^^peet  to  glTe 
to  these  heathen  oonTerts  who  have  been  cinder  a  totally 
different  social  and  religious  environment  when  their  own 
population  is  not  able  to  follow  their  a(»<»eptea  ereed? 

It  is  a  very  ridiculous  effort  made  under  the 
name  of  religion  and  truth.    It  is  a  silent  form  of 
BllitariSB^    It  has  led  to  Milltarlstlo  iaaoes  every  time 
when  the  siissioas  met  with  a  gesuiae  opposition.   In  short 
lt***eaough  for  our  purpose     in  thi^  paper  to  note  the  three 
•sse^itlal  ffharaeteristi^s  of  Hindui^ira  over  and  against 
the  teachings  of  other  religions  of  the  world,  i -^   .. 

X.    It  is  universal  and  cosmopolitan  In  spirit  as  it 

la  regulated  by  philosophy* 
2.    It  is  opposed  toall  forss  of  coa^juest  in  the  form 
of  conversion;  whether  ly  force,  fraud  ,or  money. 


'I'- 


-HS^  ^ 


umXqkm 


■^^^  fc^ 


.?imtmjk: 


-MM%1 


Tf 


3,   It  recognlsea  the  validity  of  all  the  religions 
lnf»ludlng  Itself,   as  the  means  to  an  end  ^d 
preached  that  salTatlon  could  be  obtained  by 
following  the  righteous  teachings  of  ones  own 
Dharma« 

Tbsfle  thr«e  optstandlng  characteristics  of 
Elndttlsni  should  have  made  it  a  worl^  religion  admitting 
under  it  the  several  religions  and  creeds.   But  the  fact 
was  that  It  unfortunately  faced  the  attacks  of  Kohamms- 
danism     and  suddenly  ^hanged  Its  course  of  teaching. 
Self  defense    made  It  become  narrow  and  exclusive^  Heed 
of  strong  stabilization  of  Its  teachings  among  Its 
follov7ers  ,  who  were  ever  open  to  attacks  and   conversions, 
made  It  turn  the  same  wide  and  universal  principles  Into 
mere  theories.   They  cj^alked  out  a  strict  and  feflnlte 
program  of  religious  practliie.   Thus  religion  which  was 
originally  a  systematlsed  compilation  of  philosophical 
doctrines,  principles  and  modern  tes^chlngs,  became  an 
independent  Institution  and  worke'  out  rules  and  regulations 
to  maintain  religious  union  of  the  Indian  people  alone. 

It  was  here  that  the  code  of  MannC  Iganava  Dharma 
Shastra)   1,  e.    ,the  science  of  human  Bharma  was  worked  out. 
The  author  was  a  very  highly  learned  roan  and  he  exerted 


,pne>ir. 


I'T^ 


great   Influence  over  the  social  raind  of  Ms  time. 
fie  construct c^  a  very  compleix  compandlnm  reconciling 
the  teachings  of  Vedic  literature,  post-Vedlc 
fMlosophlcol  doctrines,   and  the  several  existing  forma 
of  social  organlzationtThua  the  Hindu  caste  system  In 
the  form  of  four  all  sufficing  divisions  of  the  Indian 
population  was  Introduced   Into  the  pale  of  Hlnduisra. 

But   this  caste  system  did  not  appear  this 
time  In  Its  orlgftaal  form.    It  was  split  ap  Into  several 
subcastes  according  to  the  various  needs  of  the  people. 
The  main  reason,  as  it  appears »  for  the  Incorporation 
of  castes  Into  Elndul«n,  was  the  badly  felt  need  of 
amintainlng  order  in  the  society  and  preserving  the 
population  as  a  homogenlus  consaunlty. The  attacks  from 
the  foreign  thought  and  lilfe  Ileitis,  were  very  great 
and  the  Internal  cosmopolitan  organization  was  not 
atr#Bg  enough  to  stand  them. 

?or  this  reason  the  soclollglsts  of  the  time 
represented  by  Manu,     Introduced  caste  system  Into 
Hinduism  and  thus  we  n&^^r  fin4  castes,   in  their  organised 
form,  apart  from  it.    In  fact  caste  system  came  to  be  the 
chief  corner  st6ne  of  Hinduism. 


w-oJ.    ^ttu 


e\  s      <«(«  Te 


\j 


OftRt   9^mm  MrA^a4J39g»^ 


X  ajK> 


;rTa^«15fr© 


frroT*^   ^.-^.'^  iif  fi 


F  ,^ 


m^fih 


fA/y^k        r-»r:',^ 


/*fj 


But  Hlndnlsm  does  not  mean     simply  caste  system.    It  must 
bs  definitely  understood, for  future  pupposes.that   castes 
are  merely  one  part   of  E^ndulsro,  though  a  very  Important 
part.    Hinduism  as  a  ^hole     In  its  orlglonal  as  well  as 
present  form  and  spirit  is  essentially  objective. 
This  point   is  ot   great   signlflcace  to  the  e'lucators,  whose 
job  it  is  to  reconstruct  the  social   organization.    It  is 
not  Jtirscessary  to  hurt  the  religious  feelings  of  the 
Hindus  while  att erupting  to  Introduce  a  new  social 
program  or  modifying  the  old  one. 

The  educator  therefore  had  better  understand 
th     fundemental  doctrines  and   beliefs  of  the  Hindu  com- 
Branlfy,    Such  a  psychological  insist  into  and  acquaintance 
with  the  Hindu  mind  will  make  all   educational  and  social 
programs  practical  and  practicable. 

One  of  the  basic  teachings*  as  expressed  by  a 
poet,   is  this:"  The  sole  eternal  one  self  is  always  in 
conflict  with  Maya  ,  iiyhich  causes  all  the  delusion, and 
makes  one  thing  appear  different.    ?«lio  will  stop  this 
conflict?   It   is  knowledge  alone  v.hi'^h  leads  to  renunciation." 
In  this  verse  the  poet   speaks  of  two  important     beliefH: 
1. Knowledge  as  the  liberator  from  all  bondage  of 
ignorance. 


C'^'n^     .  ?i:i     UVi. 


ijTf"Pt'-t      ^tJC 


■'■*•  ♦•4^f*'  .*  ^•'•F"'*^'^^  »■  ■•■^ 


iT  :^    '* 


*aXa£Cdi«> 


»  I 


at 

m^mim  mt 

tx«« 

•!•: 

r     ..; 

e.fictsrref 

''r^' 

e*- 

^^ 

!rT 

/7V 


8«  Renanclatlon;  self  denial  or  saTlfl^e,  expresse'l 
In  terms  of  service  that  '5oes  not  '^opent  upon  the  r 
Is  tho  ultimate  raanli^estatlon  of  Irnowleflge, 

Suppose  a  man  of  Chrlfctlsn  caate  goes  to  a  Hindu 
teacher  for  spiritual  elevation,  tho  teacher  wouia  then 
tell  him  hovv  different  Is  the  re&l  Christ  from  the  Christ 
whom  he  really  adores.  The  teacher  would  persuade  the 
studeat  to  IgAore  the  historical  Christ  as  the  later  Is 
only  a  partial  manifestation  of  the  real  flhrist,  omniscient 
and  everlasting  ^incorporated  in  human  form  and  acting  in 
human  ways,  iie  is  a  mere  living  (historically)  symbol 
like  an  idol  through  which  the  devotee  <^d savours  to 
picture  and  understand  the  eternal  truth.   Thus  the  teacher's 
ehlel  object  is  .ot  to  create  a  change  in  the  object  of 
worship  but  in  his  Ideas  and  phiposophy,  leaving  the  old 
paraphernalia  unchanged. 

Another  characteristic  of  Eindu  cosmopolitanism 
is  the  reoognltion  of  the  propriety  of  various  forms  of 
worship.  In  this  way  the^'  got  over  the  differences  which 
the  disslmarity  of  worship  may  have  cauaad  among  the 
various  tribes  and  sects.  Above  the  practice  of  the  variety 
of  worship  they  had  a  philosophy  which  di scour aged  the 
oppositions  and  reconciled  contradictions. 


«-,  1'  ■  *■  ^  ^-  •-.  j> 


A'-.  -^     J   r,  .^  •   <• 


A  }■   f  «*  f*»fl  fKTft' 


•**« 


iWm  9-^B^  ojii  «l 


ir^alH  a 


KC:  -^  " 


tF 


L  4.    « 


'f-j|»*g 


v?5A;?-sr-ir >"•  ^fi ?t  f^n^  p. 


^tter 


1«w 


/  ow 


Dharma  (duty)    la  another  cosmopolitan  agpoct 
of  EindulSB*    Whether  a  roan  is  a     thelst   or  an  atheist, 
lie  has     to   follo^^  his  Dharma,    ?hls     Dharma  Is   eternal 
and  Infinite.    To  whatever  a  religion  a  man  may   belong, 
whatever  school  of  thought  he  may  follow,   of  whatever 
class  he  inay  be  a  member,   he  has  to  follow  Diiarma* 
Such  a  Pharma  or  duty  was  separated  f^ora  worship  and 
conceptions   of  God«        According  to  this  theory  of     Dhama 
they  demanded  of  a  man  not  worship     ITat   falfllraent   of 
his  dntyt 

The  moral  of  this  philosophy  ii  this.    It   is  not 
•  matter  of  importance  as  to  what     God  a  person  worships, 
what  doctrine  he  believes,  what  path  he  follows,   rprovided 
he  follows  Dharma,   the  duties  of  man,   as  a  man,   and 
those  of  his  position  assigned  to  him  either  as  a  teacher, 
a  warrior,   or  a  trader,      Svery  man  la  expected  to  be 
Dharraika,   that   la   ,   dutiful,      this  is  the  general  attitude 
which  brought  all  the  castes  and  tribes   ,   their  worships   , 
their  beliefs,     under  one  system. 

This  philosophy  is  capable  of     universal 
expansion;      it  was  Intended  to  be  so*    According  to  Hindu 
idea,   it  is  perfectly  proper  or  even  neceasary  for  a 
Christian  to  follow  his  tribal  customs   ,  provided  he 


•^«3    IS.' 


&i&«i«> 


,  3^to  jx 


,ii»-i  ■■& 


'■p.e^ 


hi;t»  qi 


9srmdKi 


^m't- 


f>:, 


,  sw«  f 


^fs 


a£. 


/^/^ 


folloiva  liai^va  Bhraaa.  hid  duty  9M  suua» 

Thus  while  fli trussing  the  i^lae©  of  «aate  aystegi 
In  Hlnanleia  wq  fina  the  trae  spirit  ana  for®  of  that 
religion  is  eoamopolltan  an4  anlTersal,    Caste  system  in 
its  poptalar  sense  haa  no  place  In  that  religion.    It 
enaorsea  only  the  orlgonal  four  Yernas,      These  aivialons 
of  society  aeeording  to  Hia^ti  religion  ana  philosophy 
are  not  rneanf  oily  for  iTi^lian     society  but  that  they  are 
essential  for  all  sof?letles  of  the  woria.   They  are  to  be 
fonn^  sTery  where  la  the  worl*!  linger  one  name  or  another 
an^  in  one  font     or  another. 

This  dofjtrtne  of  four  Varnas  was  a  veiry  dcminent 
soelal  doctrine  which  has  shaped  the  Hindu  thought  for 
nearly  two  thousand  years  .    According  to  this  doctrine 
a  society  is  to  be  dlvl'^o^   into  four  classes  a«d  all 
social  occupations  should  be  distributed  among  these 
four  divisions*      This  distribution  of  the  Tarlous  positional 
in  life  is  to  b^  on  the  basts  of    merit  and  accompli shmentt 

This  doctrine  of  four  Varnas  ,   if  properly 
understood,   is  a  very  healthy  doctrine  for  any  people. 
This  doctrine  whlt^h  is  discussed  at  length  in  the  chap%*r 
entitled**  Psychological  foundations  of  Caste  iystems*  is 
not  the  sanie     as  the  caste  system  in  vogue  today. 


'C*-"'  h^' 


r^vm^i 


t^fm 


/  ^ 


The  Brahamant  who  Introduced  this  doctrine  did  It  with 

the  beat  alms.    Thoj'  did  not  mean  to  tq^uoq  the  80<»lety 
to  whe  condition  that  1«  pwv^valent  today.      ^Uthough  It 
1«  necesaary  to  change  this  original  four  caste  plan  yet 
It  coulti  be  rao^fled  and  the  underlying  thoery,  at 
least »  of  this  aocleil  x>3J*ogram  could  be  made  use  of  while 
making  plana  for  ths  reconstruction  of  the     Hindu  social 
organlaation. 

Hot  on.Vj  the  Varaa  doctrin  does  not  Indorss 
present  c&ste  of  India  but  even  the  Dherma  ihilosophy 
d088  not  support  lt«   However     the  Idea  of  the  division 
cf  fiocioty  In  the  four  groups,   dititi  ogulSiilng  the 
aembora  of  one  from  those  cf  enot}  er,   on  the*  ground  of 
tholr  differoneoo.   In  terms  of  rcerita(   Intelligence), 
natural  incllnatlonu,   capacities  and  actual  behavior, 
all  of  thoBe  taken  'collectively,  ts  deep  rooted  in 
the  Hindu  ralnd. 

A  Hindu  when  askc^d  wheth6<r  he  likes  the  casts 
system  or  not  may  be  found  to  answer  off  hand  negatively 
but   on  cloBer  scrt^tl ny,     one  can  readliy  notice  in  the 
dlscusaion  and  analysis     that  he  offers,  th&t  the  all 
sufficing  four  fold  classification     of  hlfe  fiociety 
appeals  to  him  more,  than  any  other  classification  in 
vogue  today,   in  jdther  countries  of  the  world. 


Th^  reason  c&nnot  be  said  to  be  an  affinity 
gor  ones  traditions  anl   social   instltutlona;   for  the 
almpl3  reason  that   the  Hindu  of  todaj^  is  so  far  removed 
from  the  past  in  which  sueh  a  pathological  division 
of  society   axlstr-^   •*  i  his  country  and   so  many  long 
centuries  have  lntervlene'3  which  have   changed  the  socled. 
plctnre  of  his  country  almost  to  newness. 

A  majority  of  Hindus  are  not   even  aware  of  the 
facts  that  lay  in  the  foundation  of  their  present   easte 
system.    But  the  only  appeal  that   such  a  division  of  society 
Bakes  is  its  rational  and  psychological   character.    This 
not  only  permits  but  requires  the  intelllgend*  to  lead, 
physical   strength  and  fortitude  to  protect,   capacity  for 
mat'^riel   developement     to  produce   ,   and  proaote  the 
prosperity,   and  lastly  the  ttnakllled,   unrefined  and  the 
unintelligent,   to  serve  the  society  as  a  ?.'l]Ole     In  terms 
©f  manual  labor. 

India  nee  a  3, more  than  anything  else,   a  strong 
social  revolution  that  will   eleralnnte  all  the  degenerating 
elements  that  have  enetred  the  Hindu  life,     whether  through 
religion,   puranic  teachings,      or  foreign  aomination.      The 
social  life   of  any  people     is  subject  to  all  such  influences 
fluid  once  certain  docterines  of  a  low  type  find  acceptance 


^ 


in  the  erti atoms  cmd  manners  ^nd  thonglit  of  a  people  then 
no  llteratore,  of  whateTer  sort  ,  hovvoeTer  so  great, 
and  IntelJeetnal  it  wKg   be,  can  do  any  goo4  to  the 
actual  life  of  thesii  people  • 

fhe  Hintus  haYe  perhaps,  a  bigger  and  very 
highly  philosophical  literary  heritage  bat  all  that  is 
aseless  fros  the  stan<1point  of  pra'^tical  atility.lt  is 
merely  a  thing  of  talk  and  adairation  often  culminating 
into  Tain  pride  and  hypocratical  character  lilcs  sons 
Missionary  osoliements  in  India*   In  one  han^l  they  hold  the 
Bible  and  connive  at  the  Bottle  that  gradually  creeps  in 
and  with  the  slightest  opposition  to  soch  itndesirable 
foreign  encroachments  ,  call  forth  Bayonets  • 

These  three  B's  iM^ve  alwsgrs  gone  together 
and  therefore  have  created  a  genuine  hatred  in  the  minds 
of  the  educated  Indiana*  Horeever  this  shows  the  depth 
of  under «t analog  and  spirituality  of  the  faith  of  the 
siissionarlee  in  the  teachings  of  Christ.   A  Hindu  lives 
in  one  wa;^,  recocts  to  the  sateriel  stisoili  like  all 
other  people,  shows  meger  fore  sight  ,  and  is  indifferently 
aware  of  his  like  and  ideals  while  on  the  other  hand  he 
admires,  loves,  and  worships  the  high  ideals,  thoughts, 
an^  teachings  of  his  Aryan  ancestors. 


I  ^  V 


Stt^  a  coMltioii  la     moat  daplorable  and 
vmsy  TTcaild  feel  aAiioyea  for  giving  It  publicity  ,  but 
the  proper  und  erst  and  ing  of  thia  Innate  situation     la  tha 
Tery.kay  to  all  e^ursattonal  plana  an^  prosraiBs« 
aT^ry  country  It  waa  ^nuf^atlon  that  brou^t  light  ta 
the  maasaa,  an     In  India  etluoatlon  slona  will  bring  tha 
renalaaanco  •      It  la  a  ^ell  concelTe'^  program  of  adueatlon 

that. will  brtjig  about   a  aoelal  ravolutlon  ,   shake  the 
traditional  dogBfts  to  the  foundation^  rai^aal  the  true 
aeoreta  of  th^lr  rich  literary-  heritage  and  ahow  them 
the  flasy  »  auperflclal  and  vitally  degenerating  nature 
of  the  e'^ui^ation  th<^t  haa  been  introduced  and  Impoae'^  on 
theifi  under  the  foreign  rule* 

Indian  people  as  a  whole  ware  never  ao  wide- 
awake aa  they  have  become  today  aUd  it  la  at  this  tlna 
that  the  eaucationel  probleraa  of  all  aorta  ana  doscrlptiona 
will  arlaa*     i^dueatloniata  ogiat  understand  tha  Hindu 
nature  before  they     proceed  to  preaerltoe  adueational 
nurture.   The  nature  of  the  Hindua,  1  •    e,      the  Indian 
aoclal  mind  will  be  properly  underatood  if  unprjudlead^ 
ayapathetlc  and  unaelf  lah  at  tempt  a  are  made  to  atudy 
India,  phyal colly,  socially ,  hiatorically.  politically, 
and  economical ly« 


/5y 


All  these  are  the  chlelT  avemies  of  Inforifiation 
€uid  ft  auffi  total  of  their  study  will  give  a  good  reliable 
foniid&tlon  to  build  a  sonnd  reconstruction  program.   This 

Is  the  field  of  education  which  has  become  the  all-> 
enbraclng  agency  of  our  tl&^e*      Education  today »  plays  the 
sami  part  in  the  life  of  the  people »     that  philosophy 
in  ancient  India  and  religion  in  Mideaval  £^rope  playeA. 
This  paper   ,  as  has  been  said       time  and  agaln»  primarily 
Intends  to  present  the  Indian  social  odnd  as  it  was»  is, 
and  perhaps  will  be.     All  the  social  Influences     created 
by  the  social  orftsclzation  plan,   form  the  haeh.-ground 
for  any  educational  acheae* 

This  bacl^«ground  is  the  sain  problea  of 
education^  the  understanding  of  which  is  highly  essential 
to  work  out  any  scheBf»e  of  elucetion  for  the  new  India* 
For  this  reason  the  title  of  thts  paper     **  Caste  as  an 
educational  problem     "     has     ^een  select 9d« 


I'^^'d 


CHAPTER  IX > 
MtTLTIPLICATlON  OF  CASTES  AHD  ITS  ES3ULTS. 

Aa  lias  been  pointed  oat  in  the  preceding 
pages,  the  original  program  of  the  all  sufficing  four 
Varna s  (colore)  was  tyi-ioally  Aryan.   Later  on  ats  the 
society  increased  in  population,  as  the  territorial 
expansion  took  place,  causing  the  segregation  of  the 
people  for  want  of  easy  means  of  communication,  and  as 
the  stabilization  of  such  agregated  groups  in  different 
provinces  of  India  took  place  and  led  to  the  estaolishment 
of  local  traditions,  customs  and  manners,  castes  began 
to  multiply.   This  multiplication  of  castes  was  caused 
by  various  reasons.   The  first  in  importance  was  vo- 
cation.  Authority  for  this  is  found  in  the  Epic  of  the 
"Mahauharatai"   In  -i  dialogue,  the  sage  Parashar  in  ans- 
wer to  a  caestion  asked  him,s  j.ys,  ''To  begin  with  there 
were  only  four  family  groups!  namely, 

1*   The  family  group  of  the  cage  Auhuj  ■},    . 

£•  2he   fdmily  groun  of.  thfi_S3g€f  An^iu.  -  • 

3,  The  family  group  of  the  iSage  Vaaistha. 

4.  The  family  group  of  the  oage  ^^iuxu^u. 

But  Other  family  ^loiips,  besides  tnese  original  four, 
arose  >:tooording  to  vocution,  and  their  numes  ^i^o^ 
were  derived  from  the  n^me  of  the  work  they  took  to. 


/  ^  */ 


Mr«    K«sfieia,   vvho  ^arrltfl  his  restarchts  in  \ 
the  unlt«a  provlncts   of  ladla  In  regara  to  the  origin  of 
tht  mo3«rn  castas  cam*  to  this  Tary  eoaclusloiu    Ha  aaye, 
JFanetlori  sna  function  only^     aa  I  think,  was  tha  foundation 
upon  which  tha  whol«  casta  system  of  India  was  built  up." 
Tha  ordar  of  tha  groups  Is  datarmlnad  by  tha  prlnelplaa 
that   aach  casta  or  g  oup  of  castas  rapresants  ona  or  othar 
of  th*se  prograsslva  atagas  of  cultura  which  have  marked 
tha  Industrial   daTalopaoiant  of  mankind,  not   only  In  Indla^ 
but  In  every   other  country  In  the  world.      Tha  rank  of  any 
caste  as  high  as  low  depends  upon  whether  the  Industry 
represent aa  bp  tha  casta  belongs  to  an  advanced  or  backward 
stage  of  "ulture;   sn-^  thus  the  natural  history  of  the  human 
Industries  affords  the  chief  clua  to  the  gradations  as 
well  as  to  the  formation  of  modern  Indian  castes* 

At  the  bottom  of  the  seal  a  ar^  wore  or  lass 
primitive  tribes,   the  last  remains  ana   sole  survlnlng 
representatives  of  the  aboriginal  Indian  savage   ,  who 
was  once  the  only  Inhabitant  of  India,   Than  came     tha 
hunters,  boatmen,   and   fishermen,   the  pastoral  ihlrs  and 
Gadarlas,   and  the  great  mass  fo  agrlculturlstst     Than 
the  artisan  castes^    These  are  subdivided  with  reference 
to  the   supposed  priority  of  the  evolution  of  their  crafts. 


»&7' 


/#^ 


Th%  basket •ffi8^c«T  »  th«  w&yr,  the  potttr  ana  the    oilman 
fall  with  In  th«  mora  prlroltlTa  group     antlfiedent  to 
metallurgy,  whlls  the  hlnckoislth,  goldainlths,  tailors  and 
eonfaetioners  art  plsca-l  In  th«  grpup  eoaval  with  th«  uaa 
of  metal 3, 

Above  these  eom^  the  traflng  an^  serving  onstes 
flU'^h  as  th^  gena«loglsts(Bhfita}  and  the  Kayasthas,  «ho 
are  estate  snanagers  an<l  clarhs*   Then  eome  the  prli^eiy 
faffiilles,  Hiany  of  these  are  soldiers  an<?  servants  but  their 
ancestory  being  royal,  they  figure  hlghtr  than  those 
aentloned  above.      The  BraltaKans,   ana  religious  orders  eoroe 
oa  top  of  all  and  thus  'complete  th*?  ^?hole  scheme. 

Sow  all  these  f^sste  groups  are  again  subdivided 
within  the  group  Itself*   Thus  there  are  hundreds  of  e&stea 
according  to  the  census  reports.      According  to  soiae 
writers,  these  Innumercble  castes  that  are  fcund  today  In 
India  are  the  outcome  of  the  crlgonal  four  castes.      Many 
sociological  reasons  are  given  to  back  this  thesis  but 
a  earef^l  study  of  the  Sanskrit  literature  of  those  ancient 
times  sliows  that  tha  Yamabheda  (color  distinct  Ion)  irtilch 
was  based  on  raclatl  and  th^  corresponding  cental  charac- 
teristics is  quite  different  from  th«  functional  classify 
1  eat  Ion     of  the  society. 


nax^ilt' 


■y-.^f^^'r-ni    f5;f'" 


iskttq^ 


^?*5K*s;rr 


Itw 


^^  *"  '  Ditw  Kttkar  in  his  "History  of  th«  east*  syat^Biw 
maintains  this  point  v«ry  strenuously  while  proposing  tha 
original  fowr  east  a  plan  for  nnlveraal  accaptaneat 


Raf«reu(?a  :  Dr.  Shriahar  V,  Eetkar 

History  of  easts  ,  Taylor  ana  Carpenter  '09» 


It  Is  not  safe  to  apply  the  principals  of  our 
time  to  formulate  the  origins  of  an(»ient  institutions, 
80  long  as  literature  of  thiae  times  la  available*  It  mast 
ha  studied  and  evidence  to  support  the  hypothesis  be  found 
from  there*  One  can  explain  the  Hindu  Castes  by  relying 
upoft  the  general  parallelism  that  may  be  traced  between 
the  soci&l  organisation  of  the  fiiudus  and  that  of  the 
Greeks  and  EomanB  in  the  earlier  stages  of  their  national 
developement.  This  has  be^n  done  in  this  thesis  just  for 
that  pappose  but  thttt  cannot  be  used  to  decide  the  origin 
of  the  modern  bewildering  multitude  of  castes  and  subcastes* 

They  cannot  b^  ^'onsidered  as  the  logical  sequence 
of  the  Varnabheda#  But  the  reason  for  this  multiplication 
of  castes  seems  to  be  ,  as  said  at  the  out  set  of  this  ehaptilr 
the  aeggegation  from  one  another  during  the  territorial 
expansion*  Lack  of  communication  led  to  local  traditions, 
customs, and  beliefs  and  local  institutions  took  birth  thus 
stabillKlng  the  spaclal  characteristics  of  these  several 


Ih'^ 


groups  and  making  them  f«9l  <iffer«iit  from  one  another. 
But  the  Brfiham&nlc  influenr*^  whi<?h  XLt^^r  oeaaed  to 
doffiljaate  over  &11  thi»se  groups  «1«e  to  their  religious  and 
intelleettiftl  leadership,     did  not  allow  the  Hlniu  people 
as  a  whole  to  feel     foreign  toward  one  anothtr.   They  always 
were  coner*iou6  of  the  religioue  unity  among  them*   The  main 
principles  of  their  social  institutiona  were  common  though 
the  forms  became  div«r5:ent. 

This  segragetlon  due  to  territorial  expansion 
led  to  the  establishnient   of  now  '•ustoms,   manners  and  beliefs* 
Alsotha   Increasing  population  necess5tated  the  Increase  of 
▼tcationSf    Contact  vith  peoples  of  different  races  led  tc 
group  limit  at  lens  on  the  hand  and  lnt<?rf>iiTtur«  of  races 
on  the  other.      All  this  repulted   into  the  elaborate  social 
fabric  of  c'stes*     The  Brahamans  whersver       the^f  went  took 
great   care  to  protect  their  racial  purity  and  became  a 
strietly  eddogamus  class*      This  example  of  the  Brshnoans 
w%s  gradually  followea  by  the  other  castes  and  intermarriage 
came  to  be  looked  upon  as  anit social  end  irreligious. 

Moreover  the  Idee  of  class  superiority  entered 
Into  the  society  no  sooner  rl^ld  endogasais  groups  were 
formed.   This  gradually  led  to  group  isolation.    One  cast« 
learned  to  restrict  all  its  social,  religious  and  such 
other  activities  to  its  own  group. 


feKO.    :  ~m    ^A    ©-'ii'lOX^ 


-•*i'^0     ff^^f 


i^i; 


M«!nb«r8  of  other  castts  or  sabeastes  afa  not  allowed  to 

participate  la  their  eereiTiOnles  and  this  led  to  the  strict 
Bocial  restrictions  on  Inter  dining.    One  caste  will  not 
dine  with  the  members  of  another  and   so  on«      This  did  not 
canst  any  serions  conflict   in  the  society  bee: use  the 
popalatlon  ^as  Terj  large  and   each  caste   could  have  all 
its  fnnotlons  and   ceremonies  propwrly  performed  within  its 
own  groupt 

This  isolation  and    eicclnslon  polled  took  a 
deep  root   in  the  Hindu  society  and  In  tha  course  of  time 
was  carried  to  a  ridiculous  logical  extrerao.    It  did  not 
stop  with  the  prohibition  of  interiDarrlage  and  int tr- 
aining but  led  to  the  loctrlne     of  untou^hability. 
A  man  of  the  hi^ihwr  caste  will  not   eat   or  drink  what   la 
touted  by  a  mamber  of  the  lower  castes  • 

All  the  fortigaers  who   -entered  India     during 
modern  times  whether  from  the  oxident   or  the  orient ,wtrt 
rtgarded   by  the  Hindu  society  as  persons  fit  to  be  claastd 
with  the  3hudras«      Thus  all  thtae  rules  of  exclusion 
Including  nntouchabllity  irere   exercised   against  the 
liohttBBtdana  and  the  Suropeans*    If  a  BllsahaiBaa  of  an  orthodox 
type  accident aly  touched   the  person  of  an  HJuroptan  or 
any  other  foreigner  he  would  take  a  bath  »n  rttarning  homt« 


l^Jf 


Fbyeleal   toueh  came  to^We  T«gara«(1  as  &  eaust 
of  g«nuln«  polutloiu    This  is   obserTer!  inore  fanatically 
by  the  womtn  of  ortho'lox  families.    There  is  no  state  law 
prohibiting  a  meffiber  of  oae  easte  from  following  the 
profession  of  another  easte,   but  social   disapproval  made 
It  hard  for  a  person  to  deviate  from  his  traditional 
vocation  evsn  if  he  had  capacities  to  do  so.    This  worked 
In  this  way  up  to  very  recent  years  and  still  in  inany 
parts  of  India  lihere  illiteracy  rules,   it   is  to  be  found 
strictly  followed  by  the  people. 

In  large  cities  where  competition  is  keen 
and  opportunities  to  exercise  ones  powers  are  many, 
the  Hindus  hav     given  up  this  vocational  restriction 
and  one  takes  to  any  vacation  he  may  deam  fit  and 
beneficial  to  hiniBelf»      Thus  today  the  numerous  castes 
according  to  some  as  ntany   as  fifteen  hundwed  In  lumber 
are  merely  In  name* 

They  hawever  have  some  significance  in  villages 
and  a4ong  ignorant  and   Illiterate  peoples*   But  gradually 
political   and   economic  pressure  that    Is  being  laid   on 
the  country  as  a  whole,   is  aiding  the  rapid  dlsintergration 
of  th'ise  bewildorlzig  castes. 


iiStmim. 


I^TI 


Tli«  religious  >i«aas  though  nominally  a«kaowl«dg«d 
by  tht  p«opl9  do  not  aisouat  to  any  thilig  Important  in  th« 
actual  run  of  11  f«  of  th«  p^oplt^     Polltleal  l«a4«Ts  laaan 
to  th«  population  mor«  than  any  bo^.y  *j1s«,    Thus  the 
political  sltactlon  in  India  has  almost  angulfafl  tha  castas. 
Paople  obs«TV«,   raughly  spsa^lsg^  easts  rulss  ana  rsgtrlatlons 
In  thalr  own  privata  lifs,  hut  In  puhlle  a«?tlTltl«8  It  has 
no  place, 

Hehataa  6snahl/th<!!  great  Rlnau  Pacifist » 
lsa<5ar  of  tha  Inaian  Kational  Jarty   »  daclarad  tha  othar 
day  whlla  launching  his  ^r<:i%rwsi  of  non-cooparatlon 
vith  the  British  GoTermient  that  one  of  the  oaths  his 
followers  nnst  taVe  is,  that  of  not  balelving  in  tha  non- 
touchsbillty  of  castes  •   He  characterize'^  thet   element   of 
untouchaLility  as  the  greatest  curse  of  the  Hindu  aasts 
sy  st  em. 

It  is  isost   inhuman  ani  irrational  to  trat  one 
meyuber  of  the  huraan  race  with  such  s  '»ont«i75pt.    Mr  Ckmdhis 
program  has  b^en  unanimously  accepted  by  the  Indian  National 
Congress  and  all  the  Hin-^us  ^o  hare  caaght  the  fire  of 
national  eongcluusness     have  '^eci'led  not  to  regard  afiy  one 
as  as  tsintouchibl^  • 


/6# 


At  th«  pr«8«iit  tlm«  though  th«  fftstta  In  all 
thtlr  nmltlpharlous  forms   tio   axlst   In  India  y«t 
politically  an(^   educationally  thay  have     ^eased  to 
exert  any   lnfluea<»e     whatsoever  long  since#    Except  in  the 
untouchable  clasa  meinbers  of  all  other  eaates  hav«  be'^n 
going  to  the   same  school   and  receiving  their  education 
la  the     fashion  and  in  the  saime  room*    No  distinction  of 
caste,   creed,   color  or  race  is  made*    In  giving  state 
positions,  whether  in  the  British  India  or  in  the  native 
states,     no  such  distinction  is  observed,      A  isan  from  tha 
lower  easte,   if  he  has  the  qualifications,   becomes  and 
officer  and  a  Brahaman  of  inferior  qualifications  wowks 
under  him  •      Socially  or  rather  religiously     thetr 
relations  ma:    ^«  In  the  reverse  order  but  practically 
in  the  actual  life  ther*  is  no  such  policy  of  birthrights 
and  privileges  observed  any  more* 

This  is,iB  short,      a  history  of  modern  castes, 
their  bewildering  multiplication,  gradual  corruption  and 
final   disintegration.    Thus  educationally  there  is  a  very  • 
great   signifcance  of  this  Information,   for  It   furnishes 
the  prospective  educators   with  the  matter  of  fact  s 
situation  of  Indian  social  life  and   of  the     part  that   castes 
play. 


»    '   V'^ 


r^  r 


/6/ 


Thns  wMlt  fonaulating  any  •ducatloaal  prograa 
•na  attfinptijag  to  mattrlallza  It,   one  must   attand  to  two 
Important  pointa,   nam«ly  : 

1»   Hot  to  hurt  tht  faellngs  of  tha  mambtrs  of  the 
upper  castes  by  emph«  sizing  the  undesirablllty  of  tha 
casta  system  whieh  is  uneonscloualy  dying  out   and  treat 
tha  problem  of  education  from  aA  (JaiTersal  or  national 
poilit   of  Tiew  because  all  castas  are  talring  enthusiastic 
interest  in  it  ali>e,« 

2«    lAdia  is  no  longer  a  country  where  the  accident 
of  birth  can  determine  irrevocably  the  whole  course  of 
a  Bans  social  and  domestic  relations*   This  being  the 
condition  it   is  up  to  the  educators  of  today  to  formulate 
a  plann  whereby  they  can  best   attend  to  the  ne^ds  of  the 
country  as  a  whole*      They  hare  the  opportilnity  of     designing 
a  program  that   could     substantiate  the  best  heritage  of 
the  ancient   institution  of  caste  system     and  bring  up  tha 
younger  generation  in  such  a  way  that  would  not  frustrata 
the  aims  and  idials  of  modern  e'^ucation  an*^  modern  treni 
of  life. 


"f*^.-- 


/^9 


Mortov«r  gmat  ear«  has  to  b«  t uktn  to  guard  th« 
young  India  from  falling  Into  th«  same  mistakes  that 
tlielr  for«fath«rs  ooinmlted   ana   save  tham  from  facing  tha 
sama  problems  that   tha  weeterri  p«opl«8   '  hav«  t)a«n  eontanding 
with  all   of  thesa  yaarst 


Chapter  X 

EDUCATIONAL  SUGGESTIONS 

The  discussion  so  far  presented  offers  three 
conolusions  as  follows: 

Past:-  LVolution  of  the  Hindu  caste  system, 
disclosing  several  misconceptions  and  mis* 
interpretations.   Also  the  evidence  of  the  Hindu 
literature,  Vadic  and  Classical,  speaking  for 
the  Hindus  and  their  social  institutions. 
And  the  geographical  and  an  anthropological 
picture  of  India  and  the  Indians.   This  furnishes 
us  the  physical  and  social  backgrounds  by  way 
of  information. 

Present:-  The  Psycholoi^ical  fotindation  of  caste 
system  and  the  *'Gurukula"  educational  system  in 
the  form  of  four  Ashrimas  explains  the  socio- 
religious  and  cultural  influence  of  the  old  in 
the  moulding  of  the  present  Indian  life.   This 
revealed  the  fondness  and  admiration  of  the 
cultural  classes  of  India  for  their  literary, 
philosophic  and  moral  heritage.   Moreover,  it 
suggested  the  undesirability  of  introducing  and 
implanting  something  new  and  intrinsically  foreign 
on  the  soil  of  India  where  it  is  not  likely  to 
take  root  for  good  but  is  sure  to  cause  division 


If" 

and  factions  in  the  social  life  of  the  people. 

Future:*   The  present  bewildering  multitude  of 
castes  which  cannot  be  explained  or  supported 
by  the  Hinduism  or  by  any  culture  of  India  but 
which  is  on  the  contrary  declared  as  a  curse  by 
the  political  leaders^  prophesies  the  irapenuing 
future. 

Indian  political  guides,  all  without 
exception,  turn  out  to  be  men  of  unchallengable 
moral  character  and  philosophically  inclined. 
TViis  makes  the  social  ?ind  religious  problems  of 
the  country  fall  in  the  hands  of  these  political 
leaders.   Thus  the  future  of  the  Indian  people 
in  all  respects,  lies  in  the  hands  of  these  self 
sacrificing  men;  these  men  have  thought  of  several 
means  of  India's  awakening  and  the  foremost  of  them 
all  is  the  universal  education  for  the  peoples  of 
India.   Thus  they  propose  to  meet  the  problem  of 
caste  system  that  otares  them  in  the  fact  at  every 
progressive  step,  by  eniightning  the  public  mind  with 
education. 

These  three  factors  are  of  immense  importance  and 
one  realizes  thetr  vaie  as  he  seriously  begins  to  think 
of  the  situation  in  India  today  from  all  points  of  view.   There 


n$ 


are  several  influential  agencies  at  work  today  in  India 
attempting  to  remove  the  social, religious,  economic  ^md 
political  disease  from  which  the  country  is  constantly  suffer- 
ing.  All  these  ^Agencies  are  unanimous  on  one  point;  they 
realize  that  the  internal  clarification  of  the  society 
leading  to  a  sane  organization  of  coramunity  interests  of  all 
kinds  is  absolutely  essential  to  fight  and  cope  with  the 
national,  political  and  economic  crises  that  India  is  facing. 
They  differ  in  the  method  of  rrocedure  to  effect  this  social 
clarification, 

1,   The  "Arya-Samaja"  with  its  wide  spread 
propaganda  and  influence  is  attempting  to  teach  the  people 
to  discard  every  social  institution,  thought  and  practice 
which  does  not  find  support  and  approral  of  the  Vedas, 
They  preach  to  the  people  at  large  that  India  must  go  back 
to  the  vedic  life  if  they  wattto  regain  their  lost  glory  and 
lead  the  world  once  again.   This  organization  is  strictly 
opposed  to  all  present  castes  and  endorses  only  the  original 
four  divisions  of  society,  in  their  fluid  form.   They  are 
not  opposed  to  any  foreign  accomplishments.   They  believe 
in  converting  and  reincorporating  peoples  of  other  religions 
and  creeds  into  the  Hindu  social  organization.   An  European  can  b 
become  a  member  of  the  Arysamaja  and  share  the  universal  brother- 
hood.   They  believe  in  the  intellectual  superiority  of  the 
classes  but  do  not  recognize  birth  as  the  criterion  of  distinctia 
They  have  established  schools  and  colleges  for  the  education 


n%^ 


of  the  people  and  in  the  *'Guru  Kula**  at  Kangdi  they  have 
etarted  an  experiment  of  combining  the  most  n,ncient  und 
the  most  modern  cultures. 

This  school  is  regarded  as  a  laboratory  which 
aims  to  produce  an  ideal  educational  system  for  the  world. 
They  receive  students  in  this  school  at  the  age  of  eight 
and  keep  them  there  until  they  become  twenty  five,   Th^ 
are  taught  the  cultural  subjects  of  the  ancient  Indian  type 
and  are  introduced  to  most  modern  scientific  studies  as  they 
come  of  age.   They  have  obtained  a  very  good  staff  of  teachers; 
some  of  these  teachers  are  well  read  in  the  ancient  culture 
of  the  Aryans  and  others  are  educ?jted  in  foreign  countries 
of  Europe  and  America.   The  school  is  situated  at  the  foot  of 
the  Himalaya  mountains  on  the  bank  of  the  river  Ganges.   This 
institution  is  free  of  government  aid  and  is  supported  solely 
by  the  public  funds. 

2,   Dr.  Tagore,  the  famous  poet  and  philosopher 
who  is  well  known  in  the  west^  has  established  a  school  in 
Bengal.   This  is  known  as  "Shantiniketan**  (abode  of  peace.) 
Dr.  Tagore  gave  all  of  his  wealth  to  the  support  of  this  school 
and  he  spent  almost  all  of  his  time  there.   The  teaching  force 
is  very  carefully  chosen  and  men  of  high  moral  and  educational 
standing  only  can  get  access  to  this  scViool.   Children  are 
admitted  at  a  very  early  age  and  are  brought  up  like  those  of 
the  "Guru  Kula*  at  Kangdi. 


/7;J 


Dr.  Tagore  has  made  an  extensive  study  of  the 
educational  systems  of  the  -vorld  and  he  has  come  to  m 
concl ision  that,  no  education  can  ever  do  any  good,  to 
any  people,  in  the  real  sense  of  thts  word,  unless  it  is 
a  comTDination  of  the  old  and  the  new,  culture  and  science. 

There  are  many  nationa-1  schools  and  colleges 
opened  during  the  last  five  years  to  imp»art  national  education 
to  the  younger  generation.   Self-sacrificing  Hindus  have 
given  up  the  idea  of  holding  government  positions  and  have 
volunteered  their  lives  for  the  education  of  the  masses. 
Th^  have  organized  Corps  sending  these  enthusiastic  youths 
to  the  villages  to  live  among  the  poor  agricultural  people 
and  impart  education  to  them  and  thus  raise  the  literacy 
among  the  Indian  people. 

Several  social  organizations  "besides  the  '*Arysamaj" 
are  zealously  at  work  pulling  down  the  Darriers  of  the  castes 
and  establishing  new  creeds  and  forms  of  worship  of  a  universal 
type. 

Thus  India  today  is  busier  than  ever,  earnestly 
preparing  for  a  strong  social  revolution  or  evolution.   This 
is  the  greatest  need   of  India  for,  that  will  remove  all  the 
petty  grudges  and  factions  within  the  different  social, 
religious  and  provincial  communities  and  bring  about  a  social 
unity  to  support  and  strengthen  the  national  unity  that  has 


/7f 


been  effected  by  the  great  national  leaders  such  as  Messers. 
B.G»  Tilak,  Lala  I»a ji&aifcrai,  and  Mahatma  Gandhi.   The  picture 
e;iven  here  which  shows  how  In'iia  stands  today  in  spite  of 
her  several  languages,  religious  cree<3s,  different  racial 
types  and  provincial  traditions.  Political  agitation 
alone,  hiS  brought  this  all  about  but  to  perpetuate  this 
unity  of  a  typically  heterogenious  population  like  that 
of  India,  education  must  step  in  and  take  care  of  the 
coming  generations. 

In  big  cities  like  Bombay  and  Calcutta  and  many 
other  industrial  capitols,  vocational  opportunities  are 
bringing  all  kinds  of  people  together.  Keen  competition, 
crowded  condition  of  housing  and  such  other  factors  of 
growing  industrial  life  are  doing  away  with  the  restrictions 
of  caste  and  provincial  or  family  traditions.  i3ut  India 
is  an  agricultural  country  and  mere  industrial  nature  of 
the  new  ere  will  not  be  enough  to  unify  the  social  life 
of  the  people  in  all  parts  of  the  country.  Education  that 
is  r.eeded  so  very  badly  will  have  to  be  so  administered  that 
it  will  not  turn  the  Indians  into  a  matter-m?id  people 
nor  regenerate  the  curely  abstract  philosophical  past  but 
make  a  wholesome  combination  of  the  old  and  the  new. 

It  is  not  possible  to  destroy  castes  completely 
nor  is  it  desirable.   It  is  in  the  very  nature  of  living 
beings  to  live  in  mutual  relationships  according  to  the 


IIT 


mental  and  physical  capacities.   There  is  no  country  under  the 
sun  today  that  has  no  caste  syBtem  of  one  kind  or  another. 
England  has  her  royalty,  nobility,  gentry  and  slums.   Germary 
had  all  of  these  before  the  war,   Japan  hes  all  those  artificial 
classes  and  the  United  States  of  America,  are  all  the  while 
laboring  under  the  inequalities  of  labor  end  capital,  racial 
prejudices  and  affinities  to  the  ancestral  nationalities 
of  many  citizens. 

There  are  all  kinds  of  social  taboos  to  be  seen 
in  the  actual  life  of  the  American  people.   Of  course  these 
castes  of  other  countries  arc  not  the  same  as  those  that 
exist  in  India.   India  is  not  able  to  handle  \\qt   problems. 
She  has  no  power  to  do  so,  even  if  she  has  the  will,   jfiven 
after  having  removed  all  this  bewildering  multitude  of  castes 
is  it  wise  and  desirable  to  throw  the  human  race  into  an 
open  competition  without  the  least  regard  for  the  mental 
differences  of  the  people^ 

American  educ^itors  are  working  very  earnestly 
on  this  problem,   iivery  society  needs  pe'jce  and  that  could 
be  had  only  by  bringing  satisfaction  to  the  raemoers  of  the 
society.   Promiscuous  competition  can  only  breed  discontent 
and  strife.   Moreover,  prosperity  of  a  society  very  largely 
depends  upon  the  efficient  functioning  of  its  members, 

American  educ-ition  primarily  aims  at  producing 
efficient  citizens  and  that  aim  alone  can  explain  why 


m 


America  is  the  most  prosperous  country  of  the  world.   To 
insure  efficiency  of  function,  American  psychologists  have 
"busied  themselves,  for  the  last  ten  years,  in  developing 
intelligence  tests  that  aire  to  discover  and  measure  peculiar 
power  of  humans. 

If  these  powers  may  be  neasured  it  becoraes  the 
duty  of  society  to  tr^din  these  respective  human  beings 
in  the  peculiar  kind  of  vocation  for  which  they  are  best 
fitted.   As  society  becomes  more  complex  it  will  be  necessary 
that  this  specialization  take  place  earlier  and  that  the 
period  of  training  be  extended  over  a  longer  tine.  This 
longer  period  of  preparation  will  result  in  the  impossibility 
of  choosing  another  vocation,  once  having  stairted  to  pre- 
pare for  a  certain  life  career.   The  result  is  that  man 
will  be  forced  to  enter  into  a  certain  kind  of  activity, 
vocation  or  occupation  in  terms  of  those  capacities  with 
which  they  can  best  serve  society. 

This  is  quite  in  keeping  with  what  nature  ordains. 
Manis  a  rational  animal.   Reason  places  him  over  other  forms 
of  animals  but  there  is  something  fundamentally  common 
between  man  and  the  rest  of  the  creation,  th^t  makes  it 
necessary  to  compare  t^e  human  evolution  with  the  evolution 
of  other  beings. 

Among  the  invertibrates  certain  insects  have 
gone  farthest  along  the  road  of  social  and  mental  evolution 


/79 


bees,  ants,  social  wasps  and  other  highly  complex  insect  forms 
illustrate  this. 

We  know  that  these  insects  live  in  large  communities 
Boinetimes  numbering,  it  h-is  t)een   estiraated  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  individuals.   A  veiy  highly  developed  evolu» 
tionary  form  of  animal  life  is  represented  by  these  in  their 
social  relationship. 

It  is  fair  to  assume  that  they  have  In  their 
organization  certain  lessons  that  are  applicable  to  human 
intelligence.   Professor  J.V.  Breitwieser  in  his  article 
on  vocational  Polymorphism  says   The  first  thing  to  note 
is  the  morphological  of  anatomical  polymorhysm  which 
characterises  the  ant.   By  this  polymorphyam  ^e  mean  that 
there  are  different  actual  anatomical  or  morphological 
forms  that  serve  different  purposes  in  the  insect  society. 
This  morphological  or  anatomical  polymorphysm  results  in 
a  division  of  lai-or  that  cannot  be  overco;ne  by  training. 
This  is,  a  certain  insect  is  born  to  do  a  certain  tning  and 
cannot  perform  ar^y  other  duties  in  the  insect  society. 

Educators  cannot  afford  to  loose  sight  of  this 
important  lesson  that  the  animal  kingdom  has  to  offer. 
Kspecially  in  the  case  of  a  country  like  India  where  the 
population  is  so  great  and  where  the  division  of  labor 
is  developing  intensely  in  terms  of  intelligence. 


11% 

This  was  the  cause  coupled  with  many  other  causes 
that  led  the  eacient  Aryans  to  divide  their  society  into  func- 
tional groups  in  terms  of  "merit  and  behayior*.   They  P6« 
stricted  the  functions  to  produce  specialists  and  efficient 
workers.   Such  an  heriditary  institution  to  functional 
groups  led  to  certain  physiological  differences,  or  to 
certain  anatomical  polymorphic  peculiarities.   Thus  some 
became  in  the  course  of  time  fitted  to  do  certain  things 
vhile  others  vere  fitted  to  do  other  things. 

This  is  true  all  over  the  world  even  today.   Our 
modem  social  lives  are  becoming  highly  complex  and 
specialization  more  intense.  Promiscuous  corapetition 
is  wrecking  the  hearts  of  many  an  asuirant  c?iu3ing  immense 
wastage  of  time,  energy  and  money  individually  as  well  as 
socially.   Therefore,  it  is  becoming  necessary  for  men  to 
do  the  thing  for  which  they  are  best  fitted. 

It  is  the  recognition  of  this  fact  on  the  part 
of  the  educators  in  theOnited  States  that  has  led  to 
recent  development  of  vocational!  and  occupational  guidance* 
Psychology  as  a  science  of  human  behavior  has  busied  itself 
in  developing  teBts  to  discover  peculiar  powers  of  human 
beings,   oocial  organization   is  thus  become  a  very  important 
problem  in  the  educational  system  of  America.   This  has 
got  to  be  80  in  the  case  of  India  too.   The  reconstruction 
of  lndia*'s  social  organization  cannot  be  left  to  the  religious 
heads  but  educators  must  t^ke  th-^t  up  to  prepare  the  rising 


/^f 


l^eneratlon  for  mef^ting  the  rcquire-rcnts  of  the  new  age* 

"Thtt  rapid  development  and  standardization  of 
tests  promises  to  enable  educators  to  determine  the  capaci|r 
of  an  individual  comparatively  early  in  life»   When  capacities 
are  determined  preparation  in  the  vocation  recommended  will  have 
to  begin**  says  Dr»   Breitwieser* 

This  situation  suggests  that  such  tests  no  sooner 
they  are  standardized  could  be  used  with  inmiense  benefit 
in  India  when  the  social  reconstmiction  program  will  bo 
handled  by  the  educ»,tor8.   This  will  save  the  chaos  that 
is  likely  to  ^ri&e  on  the  dwindling  ^uOd  abolition  of  castes. 
India  need  not  go  through  all  the  hard  experience  through 
which  the  people  of  the  United  States  have  Rone.   Their 
experience  could  be  advantageously  utilized  by  the  heterogenous 
population  of  India« 

ilducators  cannot  deny  that  the  societies  of  human 
beings  are  tending  to  become  polymorphic  and  that  taey 
have  to  become  so  if  human^bemgs  desire  progress,  order» 
and  peace*   Contentment  must  be  the  ultimate  aim  of  all 
social  progrcu&s.   Sduc^tion  has  to  pave  the  way  to  content* 
ment  by  providing  what  individuals  need  in  terms  of  their 
capacities  and  the  capacities  are  to  be  so  developed  that 
they  would  need  what  they  should  have* 


Much  of  the  present  human  misery  that  we  see  today 
in  different  civilized  countries  of  the  world  is  due  to  the 
fact  that  we  do  not  recognize  a  human  polymorphysm  or 
occupational  polymorphysm  in  human  beings.   A  ipan  having, 
certain  capacities  will  usually  find  himself  happiest  in 
activities  that  make  use  of  these  capacities.   Psychclogically 
speaking  the  chief  source  of  agitation,  irritation,  discontent 
in  human  society  is  the  result  of  their  effort  to  work,  in 
terms  of  reactions  for  which  they  are  not  fitted. 

Mal<»adju8tment  is  the  source  of  all  activity  aAd 
organic  life  mainly  consists  of  a  struggle  to  make  admustments 
to  the  environment.   An  organism,  to  he  hapniest  must  have 
the  minimuxL  of  mal*adjustment.   It  is  not  the  removal  of 
mal-adjustment  that  is  happiness;  as  a  Sanskrit  poet  puts  it 
•People  have  a  strange  notion  that  a  remedy  for  a  disease 
is  a  poritiv<^  happiness  in  itself.**   It  is  the  absence  of 
mal-adjustment  th^t  can  le^d  to  human  happiness  «ind  education 
must  needs  train  the  human  beings  in  such  a  way  th^t  each  one 
will  get  '^n   own.**Tb  each  his  own"  should  be  the  watch  word  of 
all  psychological  education. 

The  recover)  it  ion  of  "occupational  polymorpliysm* 
to  use  Hr.  hreitwieser's  phrase,  will  being  greater  happiness 
to  all  individuals  in  the  world.   Moreover,  it  is  not  anti- 
democratic.  Democracy  does  not  mean  that  all  men  are  born 
equal  but  th^t  every  individual  should  oe  free  to  realize 


\- 


/5/ 


himself  or  herself  in  terras  of  his  or  her  highest  capacities^ 
It  meatis  finally,  from  the  ethical  point  of  vfew,  the  greatest 
amount  of  happiness  for  the  greatect  numlaer,  for  the  gre^itest 
length  (ftime»   This  ethical  ideal  vhich  is  esseriti-^lly 
democratic,  is  poscible  only  when  ^e  determine  y^hrnt   the  individual 
capacities  are,  then  adequately  train  in  terms  of  those  capacities. 

This  means  that,  in  the  reconstruction  of  Indian 
social  life  and  in  organizing  an  educational  scheme  for  the 
young  Indians  educrtional  tests  and  measurem^^nts  will  be 
necess';ry.   These  are  needed  in  organizing  the  ultimate 
democracy  thnt  all  Indian  people  desire* 

Young  India  needs  a  functional  society,  in  which 
erery   individual,  who  is  the  unit  of  society  will  be  per* 
forming  to  his  fullest  capacity  without  any  perog-itives 
of  descent  or  caste.   Here  we  are  to  recall  the  advice  of 
Soloman  -^nd   obey  it  for  our  benefit,   ''Go  to  the  ant  thou 
sluggard,  consider  her  ways  and  he  wise." 

The  caste  system  of  India  in  its  present  form 
is  a  very  grave  problem  before  educition.   The  arbitrary 
social  approvals  rind   disapprovals  need  to  be  substituted 
by  tests  and  measurements.   Many  a  man,  in  India,  is  helpless 
to  realize  himself  unless  he  shows  a  great  moral  courage  of 
leaving  hishome,  relations,  and  going  to  an  industrial  town  to 
follow  a  tr-i^e  Tor  which  he  has  special  apptitude.   There  too 


/  o 


he  is  purely  following  his  inctinct  of  earning  money  and 
takes  to  h.   voc^ition  thf^.t  pays  beet*  But  to  standardize  the 
human  choiee  of  life  work  it  must  be  "based  on  scientific 
knowledge  of  indiriduals  physical  and  mental  capacities. 

The  strTig<=;le  for  existence  among  the  peoples  of 
Indi&  is  becoming  more  serious  every  dny,  i^^vA   it  is  t  scorn- 
ing necessTiry  fo^  every  individual  to  give  his  services 
"back  in  terras  of  thit  particular  capacity  of  which  he  has 
most.   There  is  the  neces; ity  for  the  conservation  of 
human  energy  as  well  as  the  conservation  of  the  n&tionttl 
reeources.   Along  with  this  concept,  the  present  political 
and  economic  movements  as  started  by  the  Indian  nationalists 
have  developed  a  social  phylogophy  that  competition  should 
give  way  to  a  philosophy  of  cooperation* 

The  vast  material  resources  of  India,  the  teach- 
ings o^  the  ancient  sacred  literature,  the  evolution  of  ttee 
Hindu  social  and  religious  ideas,  the  social  institatiorv 
of  India  such  as  the  marriage  institutions,  the  scope  and 
universal  nature  of  Hindusm  and  the  caste  system  which 
lies  at  the  foundation  of  all  the  social  life  of  the  Hindus, 
form  the  beckground  in  light  of  which  all  educational  programs 
for  the  India  of  tomorrow  will  have  to  be  worked  out. 

Agricultural  and  vocational  guid?ince  -vill  have 
to  figure  prominently  in  the  scheme  of  educ^^tion  for  the 
new  India;  since  India  is  mainly  a  country  of  villages  and 
growing  industrial  towns.   Prom  the  early  days  do vn  to  this 


X^i 


/•^■ii 


day  India  has  always  offered  great  opportunities  for 
agriculture.   Indian  people  have  been  following  agriculture 
as  their  main  vocation.   The  fertility  of  the  soil^  plenty 
of  rain  and  good  rivers  promise  possibilities  for  an  intensive 
irrig.'ition  system,  if  modern  scientific  metviods  be  intro- 
duced.  The  imperial  f^azetteers  ^nd  other  government  reports 
show  tVi'it  India  produces  even  without  the  use  of  modern  scientif  jc 
implements  find  methods  more  than  her  population  can  consume. 
The  lack  of  proper  transportation  from  one  part  of  the  country 
to  the  other,  of  the  produce  and  the  ignorance  of  the  people 
to  understand  and  use  the  net!  methods  of  distribution  of 
commodities  is  the  main  CQUse  of  occasional  famines  in  India. 
These  could  be  very  eai?ily  averted  or  even  abolished  if 
modern  methods  of  production  and  distribution  could  be  intro- 
duced on  a  large  commercial  sc^.le.   The  interests  of  the 
alien  ruless  are  a  great  obstacle  in  the  p^th  of  this  plan. 
Indian  populntion  dies  by  thousands  every  year,  while  India 
exports  wheat,  raw  cotton  and  such  other  commodities  in 
enormous  quantities  to  Sngl^ind.   This  oould  be  very  e-isily 
verified  if  one  wouid  only  cast  a  running  f^lance  over  the  ex- 
port column  of  India-reports. 

Industrial  education  is  not  provided  in  the  educa- 
tional system  of  India  as  it  exists  today.   That  is  the  first 
and  foremost  need  of  the  country.   In  order  to  establish 
a  permanent  coraraunicition  between  the  peoples  of  different 
provinces  all  modern  me^ms  of  communicution  need  to  be  intro — 


/  s  ^ 


duced.   This  will  break  down  the  narrowness,  provincialism 
and  exclusive  policy  of  the  present  bewildering  multitudes  of 
castes  and  foster  unity  aiaong  the  people, 

India  has  six  types  of  people: 

1.  lillongoloid 

2.  Dravidian 

3.  Aryan 

4.  /^racian 

5.  European 
6«  Jewish 

The  ethnological  picture  as  rjresented  before 
showed  different  distinct  races  and  their  remarkaLle  fusion. 
This  brings  up  the  serious  problein  of  race  amalgamation.   It 
has  tail  en  place  ali*eady  and  that  is  why  we  h^ive  so  maqy  types 
of  people  th-it  could  be  hardly  distinguished.   But  the  caste 
system  v>iich  insists  on  endogauious  social  relations  is  the 
main  instrument  in  the  hands  of  the  people  to  avoid  such  an 
intermixture.   Educators  while  explaining  the  desirability  of 
non* sectarian  social  groups,  if  they  remember  the  need  and 
propriety  or  keeping  four  distinct  types  or  races  separ'ite,  can 
hope  to  eliminate  the  ever  increasing  niimber  of  Indim  castes 
and  preserve  the  four  racial  groups  which,  as  diown  before, 
approxim-i tely  correspond  to  the  original  four  soci'il  groups 
or  "Vernas". 

This  is  said  to  the  educators  because  all  the  present 


7^5^ 


deviations  from  the  social  lawc,  especially  in  t>iiB  regard 
of  intermsrriB/iie  i&  made  by  the  educted  young  men.   They  hear, 
read,  and  study  literature  from  outside  coutries,  social  nnd 
natural  sciences,  material  philosopViy,  etc.,  and  as  a  rcnult 
of  that  inforniition  occaBionally  show  the  moral  courage   of 
defying  their  social  custom  and  la>».s,   They  get  married  in 
the  castes  different  from  their  own.   Many  hive  married  English 
and  American  girlo.   This  lyhange  is  in  one  sense  for  the  better 
as  it  breaks  down  the  exclusion  policy  basedL  on  prejudice 
and  ignorFince  while  on  the  other  hand  it  sug/3;ests  the  need 
of  scientific  selection  and  cv.reful  preservation  of  the 
intelligence  levels  of  higher  groups.   Ji&ducetion  is  the  only 
agency  th-  t  dcils  ^vith  "The  minds  in  the  making**,  and  hence  it 
is  ©  rroblem  of  educf^tion. 

The  whole  Hindu  culture  of  the  past  has  nade  Hindus 
feunily  lovers.   This  humnn  feutire  of  Hindu  society  shoul''  bS 
presenred.   The  individuMlistic  life  which  is  l-ecoming  so  very 
common  in  theUnited  States  has  shown  its  social  dr^w»backs, 
Kducation  should  rather  strengthen  the   habits  of  social 
affinity  of  people. 

It  is  not  the  aim  of  this  paper  to  propose  to 
the  educators  that  thay   should  eaoourufi;e  and  reestablish 
the  ancient  form  of  caEte  system.   The  peycholofcicnl 
exposition  of  th-^t  ancient  form  has  made  cle?=ir  to  us  h*--t 
certain  elements  of  caste  as  such  are  not  undesirnble  even 


under  the  present  condition  of  human  llTe  and  progress*  But 
for  that  reason  it  need  not  necessarily  be  exactly  wh^^t  it 
vas  in  ancient  days,   Uodem  needs  of  India,  the  Metamorphised 
life  of  the  Hindu  and  the  general  social,  religious,  econoraio 
and  political  condition  of  the  country  mist  be  considered*  The 
ixi^ortsnt  sugjs;etition  is  thni,   the  inevitable  c^j^stes  th^t  vill 
result  out  of  the  modif  ioatioas  and  rec^onstructions  of  new 
India,  should  not  be  after  the  fashion  of  the  western  countries* 
In  the  vest  some  countries  place  physical  power  above  all  other 
human  cap?icities,  other  place  diplomacy  and  scares :::ivenes8 
above  every  thing  else,  while  some  worship  material  wealth 
ueyond  all;  Intel lifi^ence,  plain  living,  fine  morality, 
unselfish  service,  have  no  publio  recojs;nition  or  reward* 
India  should  not  ue  Jiade  to  lose  this  speci&l  charactt*ristic 
of  her  social  organisation* 

Under  modern  scientific  civilization  and 
democratic  aspirations  of  the  human  race  it  is  irnpossible  to 
cling  to  the  hereditary  possessions  and  prerogatives*   That 
element  of  heredity  ooild  be  eliminated  from  the  institution 
of  caste  leaving  it  open  for  ai^  body  and  every  body  to  realise 
himself  by  the  dint  of  personal  capacities  and  personal 
accomplishments*   Then  «:ra4  ially  according;  to  the  nature  of 
education  th»it  the  people  will  receive,  all  other  minor 
differences  will  vanish*   Voc^*tional  guidance  is  gaining 
ground  in  all  the  countries  of  the  world,  as  it  is  in  the 
United  S  tntes.   Th^t  will  help  democratisation  of  the  human 
race  but  it  should  not  be  allowed  by  the  educators  to  exalt 


/?7 


wealth  or  power  over  intelligence,  learning,  plain  living  Find 
self-sacrifice, 

Gaste  system  of  such  a  fluid  nature  is  absolutely 
necessary.   It  serves  as  a  ladder  of  social  evolution  on 
which  individuals  can  find  their  status  in  terms  of  mental 
capacities  and  accomplishments.   JSociety  becomes  an  enlight- 
ened judge  of  the  individual  contributions  and  the  social 
approval  and  disapproval  no  longer  remain  subjective  in 
character  but  the  set  scheme  of  classes  makes  them  objective 
and  definite. 

Such  a  caste  system  would  naturally  do  away  witi 
all  the  incongrueties  and  defects  in  the  Indian  society 
and  would  render  it  fit  for  the  handling  of  modern  scientific 
means  of  prosperity.   This  will  preserve  the  good  heritage 
of  her  ancient  glory  and  will  make  possible  for  India  to  have 
her  place  in  the  great  nations  of  the  world. 

In  conclusion  it  must  be  said  that  India  with  all 
of  her  past  glox^,  present  cosmopolitan  population  and  future 
democratic  aspirations  of  her  young  men  is  the  country,  that 
can  offer  greatest  opportunity  for  the  much  desired  universal 
education.   There  we  have  on^fifth  of  the  whole  human  race  and 
it  is  in  a  transition  period  of  its  history.   The  greatest 
need  of  the  world  today  1^  the  establishment  of  some  sane 
educational  system,  all  over  the  world,  that  will  remove  the 
present  gross  misunderstanding  sunong  the  different  peoples 


/^f 


of  the  globe* 

The  purpose  of  such  universal  education  was 
beautifully  summarized  at  the  close  of  a  public  address 
by  Dr»  Breitwieser  in  the  following  words,  "The  conferences 
that  have  been  held  so  far  have  been  attempts  on  the  part 
of  conferees  to  come  to  an  understanding  with  one  another^ 
all  the  while  keeping  their  local  interests  in  the  fore  front. 
Large  portions  of  humanity  have  never  been  consulted. 

Our  American  attitude,  in  theory  at  least,  has 
been  quite  different.   Our  freedom  of  religious  attitudes  and 
oui^ tolerance  for  the  opinions  of  others  so  long  as  they  have 
in  them  elements  that  can  help  contribute  to  the  happiness 
of  humanity,  have  led  us  to  harbour  in  our  population  qiany 
religious  and  political  organizations. 

Our  American  educational  system  is  also  tending 
more  Bind^more  toward  broader  outlook  ^nd  wider  social  content* 
Ve  have  the  tradition  of  pioneering  in  the  cause  of  physical, 
social  and  religious  emancipation  of  humanity  and  what  we  must 
do  next,  as  a  logical  step,  is  to  take  up  the  program  of 
universal  education  for  the  unification  of  the  human  race* 
This  is  the  gres^test  need  of  the  world  today.   The  human  r**ce 
is  s^etiiing  with  discontent  and  misunderstanding  of  all  kinds 


b* 


I  Si 


and  the  only  solution  of  the  whole  trouble  is  education; 
education  of  an  universal  type  that  will  do  away  with  the 
narrow,  dogmatic,  local  and  selfish  institutions  and 
beliefs  and  foster  better  understanding  among  the  different 
races,  widen  the  community  of  interests  of  the  human  beings, 
broaden  the  sympathies  of  people  for  one  another,  and  last 
but  not  least,  bring  home  to  fill  the  desirability  of  give 
and  take,  of  what  good  we  have,  understanding  the  absurdness 
and  futility  of  exclusiveness,  isolation,  self-sufficiency  and 
presumed  superiority  of  race  color  and  ranft.** 


?!►"'"'     f«r^™N:PSYCHOLOGY' LIBRARY 


2600  Tolman  Hall 
LOAN  PERIOD  1  \2 


642-4209 


^yiASjTAMPEDBELOW 


FORM  NO.  DD10 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CAUFORNi^r^i^i^i^iT" 
-«.«^         BERKELEY,  CA  94720 


U.C.  BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 


"-^ 


